Trump's Labor Dept. Secures Record-Breaking Funds for Taxpayers as DOGE Initiative Gains Momentum
U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer announced on Monday that her department will return over $1 billion in unused COVID-era funding back to the taxpayer amid the Trump administration's urge the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut down on waste, fraud, and misuse within the federal government.
The Labor Department announced in a press statement that approximately $1.4 billion from unused COVID funds will be “reimbursed to taxpayers via the U.S. Department of Treasury’s General Fund.” Additionally, they mentioned steps are being implemented to reclaim an additional $2.9 billion.
As much as $4.3 billion was allocated for states to utilize for provisional unemployment benefits amid the pandemic," reads the press statement. "However, multiple states proceeded to spend millions even after failing to satisfy requisite conditions, an issue revealed through a 2023 review carried out by the department’s Office of Inspector General.
The department stated in the press release that the origin of the funding was from the Coronavirus Aid The CARES Act implemented in March 2020 aimed to offer extended unemployment benefits to Americans unable to work due to the pandemic.
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The program was shut down in 2021, according to the department, yet the 2023 audit revealed that "four states were permitted to utilize the funds even though they did not fulfill the program’s criteria," amounting to more than $100 million in expenditures.
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Leftover COVID unemployment funds shouldn’t be sitting idle," DeRemer stated to Fox News Digital. "I committed to safeguarding American taxpayers' money, and we’re making progress at the Department of Labor.
“Any remaining funds from pandemic-related unemployment benefits are clearly misused taxpayers' money,” Chavez-DeRemer stated in the press release, emphasizing that she aims to eliminate wasteful spending to guarantee that American workers are prioritized first.
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Deputy Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling stated, "It's unacceptable that billions of dollars were not accounted for in a program that concluded several years ago."
"In a huge win for the American taxpayer, we’ve clawed back these unused funds and will keep working to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse."
The announcement follows DeRemer stating in her initial memorandum to the division after assuming leadership last month that she intends to adhere to President Trump’s executive orders and collaborate with DOGE to eradicate waste, fraud, and misuse of resources.
“With President Trump at the helm, we continue to concentrate on fostering employment opportunities, improving skill enhancement programs, and guaranteeing secure work environments along with fair compensation and retirement benefits for all Americans to thrive,” DeRemer stated in his memorandum to staff members. “I urge each one of you to collaborate closely within your groups to discover creative approaches that will assist us in reaching these objectives.”
Chavez-DeRemer stated that the Labor Department needs to sync up with the goals set by the Trump administration and should concentrate on exercising fiscal discipline, cutting down nonessential expenditures, and maximizing resource utilization to guarantee that taxpayers' money is used efficiently.
Brooke Singman from Fox News Digital also contributed to this report.
Original article source: Trump Labor Department secures eye-popping sum to return to taxpayers amid DOGE push
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