America’s federal government has always been notorious for wasting taxpayer money. From $700 hammers to million-dollar studies about the mating habits of butterflies, bureaucrats seem to find endless ways to burn through our hard-earned dollars.

But what happens when government waste goes beyond ridiculous purchases and into the realm of paying for entire buildings that sit empty? As families across the nation struggle with inflation and rising costs, Washington bureaucrats have created a new level of government excess that would make even the most hardened swamp creature blush.

A January 15, 2025 report from the House Oversight and Accountability Committee has exposed a shocking pattern of waste and mismanagement under the Biden administration, revealing how federal telework policies are costing taxpayers billions while leaving government buildings looking like ghost towns.

Your Tax Dollars Funding Empty Buildings

The numbers are staggering. American taxpayers are spending $7 billion every year to maintain and lease federal office space. Government records show that 17 out of 24 federal agencies are using just 25% or less of their office capacity.

According to the House Oversight Committee’s investigation, some agency headquarters reported occupancy rates as low as 9%. These vacant buildings require full maintenance, heating, cooling, and security – all while sitting empty.

The Vanishing Federal Workforce

The investigation revealed that precisely 228,000 federal employees are never required to show up to an office. These remote workers receive full government salaries and benefits while working exclusively from home.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer stated in the January report, “The Biden-Harris Administration has ceded too much authority to the federal union bosses, allowing their preference to work from home to take precedence over fulfilling agencies’ missions and serving the American people.”

Biden’s Last-Minute Union Deals

In December 2024, the Biden administration accelerated efforts to lock in telework arrangements extending well into President-elect Trump’s term. The Social Security Administration signed an agreement guaranteeing telework for 42,000 employees until 2029.

These union agreements directly obstruct the incoming Trump administration’s ability to reform the federal workforce. Internal documents show these arrangements were deliberately timed to outlast Biden’s term.

Trump’s Promise to Restore Accountability

President-elect Trump has pledged immediate action to end this taxpayer-funded work-from-home scheme. His transition team has already outlined plans to bring federal workers back to their offices and restore direct service to the American people.

“President Trump was elected in a landslide to bring accountability to Washington,” Chairman Comer emphasized. “The American people deserve a government that shows up to work.”

Key Takeaways:

• $7 billion is wasted annually on empty federal buildings while bureaucrats work from home.
• Federal agencies are operating at quarter capacity or less, with some buildings 91% empty.
• Biden’s last-minute union deals block Trump’s reform agenda through 2029.
• Trump pledges to restore in-person accountability and service to taxpayers.

Sources: Just The News, Fox News