Rep. Yakym: “Taxpayer Dollars Should Go to What Works, Not What Wastes”

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Rudy Yakym (IN-02), co-chair of the Congressional What Works Caucus, introduced the Evidence-Based Grantmaking Act, a bipartisan bill that will ensure federal grant money is allocated properly to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse.

“Taxpayer dollars should go to what works, not what wastes,” Rep. Yakym, Co-Chair of the What Works Caucus said. “This commonsense bill uses real data to guide spending and stop waste, fraud, and abuse. Taxpayers deserve transparency and it’s our job to protect their hard-earned money, hold bad actors accountable, and make sure government programs actually work.”

“Our federal dollars go towards so many programs that support families, enhance innovation, and strengthen our economy,” Rep. Pettersen, Co-Chair of the What Works Caucus said. “I’m proud to support the Evidence-Based Grantmaking Act, which helps communities draw down federal funding while ensuring dollars are being spent on evidence-proven programming that puts value right back in Americans’ pockets. This bipartisan bill is a commonsense measure to make our government more efficient.”

“Improving government efficiency isn’t as simple as eliminating entire programs or downsizing federal agencies to save a quick buck,” Rep. Don Bacon said. “It requires careful, impartial consideration of what’s actually performing, and leaning on data and evidence. We should be looking at what’s delivering results for taxpayers, and this bill helps Congress and the federal government take an important step in that direction.”

“Americans expect accountability when they entrust their tax dollars to the federal government,” Rep. Blake Moore said. “This bill is a step toward ensuring federal grantmaking agencies only award funds to outcomes-based programs, providing measurable results and prioritizing government efficiency.”

“Taxpayers deserve to know that their hard-earned dollars are being spent on programs that actually deliver results,” Rep. William Timmons said. “The Evidence-Based Grantmaking Act is a commonsense step toward bringing accountability, transparency, and measurable outcomes back into federal spending. I’m proud to join Rep. Yakym in pushing for reforms that ensure Washington funds what works and stops wasting money on what doesn’t.”

The Evidence-Based Grantmaking Act has already earned strong bipartisan support, including from Reps. Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-07), Don Bacon (R-NE-01), Blake Moore (R-UT-01), William Timmons (R-SC-04), and Deborah Ross (D-NC-02), and has been endorsed by Results for America.

“We know what this country is capable of achieving when our government leads with data and evidence,” Michele Jolin, CEO and Co-Founder of Results for America said. “Student test scores skyrocket. Distressed neighborhoods rebuild better than before. Childhood poverty rates plummet. These are the kinds of results that the American people deserve, and what Congress can help deliver with this bill.”

Full bill text can be found HERE.

Background:

Each year, the federal government hands out more than $150 billion in grants meant to help communities and improve economic outcomes. Yet less than a quarter of that funding goes to programs that are actually proven to work. At the same time, only about 42% of federal managers say their agencies’ evaluations are high quality, leaving taxpayers in the dark about whether their money is being spent wisely.

That lack of accountability opens the door to waste, abuse, and outright fraud, like what we recently saw in Minnesota, where federal funds meant to help families were instead siphoned off through massive fraud schemes. When Washington fails to demand proof of results, bad actors take advantage, and taxpayers pay the price.

The Evidence-Based Grantmaking Act would fix this broken system by tying dollars to results. It requires federal agencies to prioritize funding for programs that are proven effective, clearly define what “evidence-based” means, and regularly measure and report outcomes. By strengthening oversight, transparency, and evaluation, this legislation ensures taxpayer dollars go to what works and helps prevent the kind of fraud and abuse that has already cost Americans millions.

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