Feds rush to spend 20% of $500 billion in one month in 'use it or lose it' spending spree

1. Among the recent contract spending which typically amounts to about 8% of all spending this month is more than $1.6 billion by the Department of Health and Human Services, making HHS the top spending agency in the first two weeks this month, ahead of the Department of Homeland Security ($947 million) and the General Services Administration ($865 million).
2. All told, roughly 20% of the $500 billion in government spending each year on disclosed contracts is in the fiscal year's last month, according to watchdog groups.
3. Federal agencies have shelled out tens of millions of dollars on cars, movie cameras and other items in a contract spending spree that happens across government at the end of every fiscal year.
4. Ernst has other bills she believes will rein in this spending orgy, such as the Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act, which would require the Office of Management and Budget director to issue an annual report showing every government-funded project that is $1 billion or more over budget or five years or more behind schedule.
5. There's a reason why the last week of the fiscal year is called Christmas in September for federal contractors, said Adam Andrzejewski, the group's founder and CEO.
6. The legislation, which she said has the support of many federal procurement officers, would mandate that spending in the two months of each fiscal year not exceed the average spent in the previous 10 months.
7. In the first week of September 2018, disclosed federal contracts accounted for $8 billion in spending.

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/sep/22/joni-ernst-end-year-fiscal-responsibility-act-stop/