I grew up castrating hogs on an Iowa farm, so when I get to Washington I'll know how to cut pork. ... It’s time to force Washington to do the same—to cut wasteful spending
Cut wasteful federal spending, including pork-barrel spending, in Washington.
Occurrences
Evidence
Campaign ad transcript: "when I get to Washington I'll know how to cut pork" and "It’s time to force Washington to do the same—to cut wasteful spending... and balance the budget."
The enacted tax bill included "SEC. 13311. ELIMINATION OF DEDUCTION FOR LIVING EXPENSES INCURRED BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS," amending section 162 by striking the $3,000 exception.
On H.R. 1, Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the motion was agreed to 51-48; the vote list records "Ernst (R-IA), Yea."
Congress.gov lists Sen. Joni Ernst as an original cosponsor of S.501, a bill "to prohibit earmarks," with latest action: "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration."
GAO reported that FY 2022 and 2023 appropriations included "$24.4 billion for 12,196 projects" in Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending.
CBO projected the federal deficit at $1.9 trillion in FY2026, growing to $3.1 trillion in 2036, and debt held by the public rising from 101 percent of GDP in 2026 to 120 percent in 2036.
After the Pentagon failed its most recent financial statement, Senator Joni Ernst said she is leading the charge to account for every cent spent by the department and is introducing the RECEIPTS Act, which would require a clean audit by 2028 and direct the Pentagon to use AI technology to audit the books.
During Sunshine Week, Ernst introduced the COST Act to require a public price tag on all taxpayer-funded projects and said she was working to shine more light on wasteful Washington spending; she also said the Pentagon inspector general would investigate why some defense-funded projects were not disclosing costs to taxpayers.
Campaign ad transcript records Ernst saying she would know how to cut pork in Washington and calling to cut wasteful spending and balance the budget.
Ernst's Senate office said the signed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act included the SQUEAL Act, which eliminates an unnecessary tax break for lawmakers, and described it as one of her provisions.
Public Law 115-97 includes Sec. 13311, Elimination of Deduction for Living Expenses Incurred by Members of Congress, amending section 162 by striking the $3,000 exception.
Congress.gov lists Sen. Joni Ernst as an original cosponsor of S.501, a bill to prohibit earmarks; latest action was read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration, with status Introduced.
GAO reported that FY 2022 and 2023 appropriations included $24.4 billion for 12,196 Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending projects requested by Members of Congress.
CBO projected a $1.9 trillion federal deficit in FY2026, growing to $3.1 trillion by 2036, with debt held by the public rising from 101 percent of GDP in 2026 to 120 percent in 2036.
Assessments
Ernst did advance anti-waste measures, including the SQUEAL Act item that became law in 2017, and later she sponsored or backed earmark-ban and Pentagon oversight efforts. But the campaign promise was broad: cut wasteful federal spending, including pork-barrel spending in Washington. The record does not show that broad outcome was achieved; GAO data show congressionally directed spending continued, and CBO projections still showed large and rising deficits. This is best treated as a serious but unsuccessful effort rather than full delivery.
Ernst delivered some narrow anti-waste actions, most notably the enacted repeal of the congressional living-expense tax deduction in Public Law 115-97 during her first Senate term, which her office tied to her SQUEAL Act. But the broader promise to cut wasteful federal spending and pork-barrel spending was not fulfilled: earmark-style directed spending later resumed and continued, an earmark-ban bill she cosponsored did not advance, and the federal deficit/debt trajectory remained high. Candidate credit supports partial delivery, not full delivery.
Ernst made the promised anti-waste theme a real part of her Senate work, including backing legislation and oversight efforts aimed at earmarks, federal spending transparency, and specific waste items. A narrow anti-waste item tied to her SQUEAL Act concept, eliminating a congressional living-expense tax deduction, was enacted during her first Senate term through the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which she supported. However, the broader promise to cut wasteful federal spending and pork-barrel spending was not fully delivered: earmark-style directed spending later resumed and persisted, an earmark-ban bill she cosponsored did not advance, and overall federal deficits and debt remained high and rising. This supports partial delivery with same-term timing for the enacted narrow item, plus an effort badge for serious but incomplete broader attempts.
Ernst fulfilled a narrow part of the promise when the 2017 tax law eliminated the congressional living-expense deduction, an anti-waste item she supported in her first Senate term. But the broader promised outcome was not delivered: earmark-style Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending resumed and continued, and federal deficits and debt remained high and rising. She also made a concrete but unsuccessful legislative attempt to ban earmarks, so the effort badge is warranted.