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Latest Policy Publications

POGO’s experts push policymakers to enact commonsense reforms that tackle waste, corruption, and abuse of power; hold those who’ve violated the public trust accountable; protect our constitutional rights; and make the government work for all people.

  1. Collage of a cash register, a woman with a face mask, an older woman holding a bowl and a younger store staff assisting, a backhoe, a man shoveling, a question on the census, money, and the outline of the U.S. map.
    Report

    Census Matters: Census Shapes Funding for Local Economies

    A census miscount can influence where billions of dollars go that support businesses, economic development, and employment. 

  2. Collage of a man using a walker, a doctor and patient, a grandma and grand daughter hugging, an apartment building, money and the outline of the U.S. map.
    Report

    Census Matters: How the Census Shapes Funding for Seniors

    In FY 2023, billions of dollars went to census-guided programs serving seniors. A census miscount can influence where billions of dollars go.

  3. Collage of a power line, a tractor, a teacher helping a student, a house, money and the outline of the U.S. map.
    Report

    Census Matters: How Census Shapes Funding for Rural Communities

    In FY 2023, billions of dollars went to census-guided programs for rural communities. A census miscount can influence where billions of dollars go.

  4. Collage of f-35 fighter jet, money, airmen pushing a missile, a hellfire missile going to an Apache helicopter, a THAAD interceptor being launched, a ship firing a missile, and missiles being assembled.
    Report

    Munitions: The American Military’s Center of Gravity

    What Operation Epic Fury revealed about munitions procurement.

  5. Collage of the U.S. map with holes, and money clippings.
    Report

    Tracking Taxpayer Dollars: Fixing a Flawed System for Federal Spending Data

    A review of USAspending.gov data reveals significant problems tracking spending to the local level, but there are fixes available.

  6. Collage of the outline of U.S. map, money, a kid at the doctor, a kid raising his hand, a mom and daughter holding hands, a kid holding school supplies, and money.
    Report

    Census Matters: How the Census Shapes Funding for Children

    In FY 2023, billions of dollars went to census-guided programs for children. A census miscount can influence where billions of dollars go.

  7. Photo collage. U.S. soldiers and pilots walk towards a Pentagon building that is deconstructed into empty shapes and shapes filled with hundred dollar bills.
    Report

    The True Total U.S. Military Budget

    There are several ways to calculate the true cost of our military. All add up to at least $1.5 trillion — and that's before the proposed half-trillion-dollar increase.

  8. An outline of a county-level map of Florida side-by-side with a photo collage in the shape of Florida state. Within the state collage are clippings of archival Census documents, a doctor treating a patient, construction workers, young students, small business owners, houses, a downtown street, and clippings of money.
    Report

    Census Matters: How Florida’s 2020 Census Undercount Affects County-Level Funding

    The census directs billions of dollars to federal programs across Florida. Here’s what census-directed spending looks like in each county.

  9. Up shot of the U.S. Capitol Rotunda ceiling on a bright day
    Report

    When Congress Comes Calling: The Limits of Executive Privilege

    A new edition of our popular guide to congressional oversight, updated in 2025.

  10. Collage of paper clippings covering the U.S. map. The clippings contain imagery of houses, a bridge, a doctor and patient, money, workers, students, a bus, a grandparent and grandkid, and census related documents.
    Report

    Census Matters: Why an Accurate Count Is Essential to Funding Our Communities

    The Census directs trillions of dollars to federal programs across the country. Here's what Census-directed spending looks like in your state.

  11. Collage of a Michigan county map, a grocery shopper, a bag of groceries, a school lunch tray, a doctor treating a toddler, a child eating an apple, and two schoolchildren eating lunch.
    Report

    Census-Guided Health Funds in Michigan

    Michigan received over $5 billion in census-guided health funds in FY 2022. Accurate census data is essential to properly distribute funds across the state.

  12. Collage of a Michigan county map, a row of students waiting for a school bus, kids running with backpacks, a group of kids reading, and a girl in a wheelchair browsing a bookshelf.
    Report

    Census-Guided Education Funds in Michigan

    Michigan received over $1 billion in census-guided education funds in FY 2022. Accurate census data is essential to properly distribute funds across the state.

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