Project Director

Haun, Amie L.

Department Examiner

Trussel, John

Department

Dept. of Accounting

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Abstract

This study examines the scale of waste, fraud, and abuse in U.S. federal spending. The purpose of this research is to clarify how fiscal management in the federal government is intended to operate versus how it actually functions. Using a combination of conceptual analysis, existing literature, case-based evidence, and data analysis, findings suggest that the persistence of oversight failures arises from weak implementation, limited enforcement authority of oversight bodies, and an emphasis on recovery rather than prevention practices. This study contributes to the broader discussion of public finance by providing an accessible framework to understand why the foundational federal principle of stewardship has been persistently neglected in practice.

Degree

B. S.; An honors thesis submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Bachelor of Science.

Date

5-2026

Subject

Finance, Public--United States; Government spending policy--United States; Fraud--United States--Prevention

Keyword

Federal spending accountability; Fraud, waste, and abuse; Improper payments; Government oversight; Fiscal stewardship; Public financial management

Discipline

Finance

Document Type

Theses

Extent

i, 26 leaves

DCMI Type

Text

Language

English

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

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Finance Commons

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