OK Congressman Releases Fifth "Waste Watch"

Ten-point-one billion dollars. That's how much waste Oklahoma Congressman Steve Russell claims to have uncovered in his latest look at government spending.

In releasing his 5th "Waste Watch" report, Russell, R-District 5, is carrying on a tradition started by former U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, the Muskogee physician who became known for his no-nonsense approach to government spending.

Russell stopped by News 9 on Friday to speak about a number of topics, including his own concerns about government inefficiency. The report, released to the public on Thursday, focuses on 10 instances of waste -- some very high dollar, but not all.

"Not big in dollar amounts," Russell explained, "but really big in stupidity."

In particular, Russell points to the $1.6 million the government has expended on several grants to study the restriction or banning of malt liquor sales, while at the same time subsidizing craft beer brewing.

"And so, on one hand, they're promoting [alcohol consumption], and on the other they're saying stop that," said Russell. "So we're saying, how about we just stop all of it."

In what Russell sees as a more egregious example of waste, the report details how U.S. Marines in Twenty-nine Palms, Calif. have had to put live-fire training exercises on hold while they develop a plan to airlift 1,100 desert tortoises that could potentially be harmed The planning alone has cost more than $20 million, the report states.

"$22 million," exclaimed Russell, "that could have paid the salaries of two battalions of Marines -- it's just insane."

The highest dollar item in the report is the cost of maintaining numerous decades-old IT systems that are still in use at many government agencies.

"We're talking $8 billion that we are wasting on these archaic systems, that could be used for upgrades," said a frustrated Russell.

The Del City Congressman says this report is not just about saying “gotcha”. He says that he and some colleagues are filing legislation to address some of these inefficiencies. Russell says they've had some success: a bill approved and signed by the President this summer, he says, could save up to $4 billion through more efficient purchasing of software.