Republicans seek audit after DOD credit cards used at casinos, bars, and clubs with taxpayer funds.

Lawmakers Target Wasteful Spending at Pentagon

Republican leaders are calling for an investigation into widespread abuse of government-issued charge cards following revelations of questionable spending at the Department of Defense (DOD). House Oversight Chairman James Comer and Senator Joni Ernst have sent a formal request to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), citing taxpayer-funded charges at casinos, bars, and nightclubs.

The lawmakers’ letter to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro urges the GAO to launch a full review of all federal charge card programs. This follows a Pentagon audit that uncovered nearly 8,000 transactions at high-risk locations, such as casino ATMs, within the past year. An additional 3,246 transactions occurred at bars and nightclubs—many on high-profile dates like Super Bowl Sunday, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, and New Year’s Eve.

“It is indefensible for Department of Defense bureaucrats to waste tax dollars at clubs, casinos, and bars,” said Ernst. “With Washington $36 trillion in debt, the last thing we need is bureaucrats maxing out their tab and sticking taxpayers with the bill.”

Oversight Failures and Legal Violations

The letter highlights systemic issues in card issuance and monitoring. On average, nearly two charge cards were issued for every federal employee last fiscal year, with total spending exceeding $40 billion. According to the GAO, most agencies fail to use existing tools to analyze spending and prevent fraud.

A key violation identified is the illegal practice of “split purchases,” where employees divide large payments to remain under the $3,500 micro-purchase cap, allowing them to bypass oversight. Despite clear regulatory bans, such transactions continue unchecked due to poor enforcement.

Ernst and Comer’s request asks the GAO to examine multiple facets: how charge cards are issued, how agencies comply with internal controls, the frequency of risky or unauthorized spending—including purchases at marijuana dispensaries and dating services—and whether card accounts are properly closed when employees exit federal service.

In a particularly troubling revelation, the lawmakers reported that DOD purchase card program officials failed to offer a single example of using data analysis to identify savings opportunities, despite longstanding directives from the Office of Management and Budget.

“It’s time to cut up the plastic and put a stop to the reckless spending,” said Ernst. Comer added, “American taxpayers shouldn’t be stuck paying for federal bureaucrats' splurges. Tax dollars are meant to fund essential government services, not dating apps, nightclubs, or bar tabs.”

If implemented, the GAO review could impact hundreds of agencies covered under the Chief Financial Officers Act. The probe may prompt wide-reaching reforms across federal departments, imposing new controls on the issuance and use of government charge cards.