IRS and EPA spend billions on firearms and ammunition, says watchdog.

Federal Agencies Spend Nearly $4 Billion on Military-Style Equipment

A recent report by watchdog group Open the Books has revealed that federal agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service and the Environmental Protection Agency, have spent almost $4 billion of taxpayer funds on guns, ammunition, and other military-style equipment since 2006. This is a cause for concern, especially since these agencies historically have played little to no role in law enforcement activities.

Ramped Up Spending Under the Biden Administration

Under the Biden administration, federal agencies have increased their spending on weapons and ammunition. The IRS, for instance, has seen its annual spending on these items nearly double since 2020, while the whole federal government has seen a 60 percent increase over the same period. This is alarming, especially since the government is also hiring 87,000 new IRS employees, raising concerns that the government is stepping up its tax enforcement of rank-and-file Americans.

A Culture of Militarization

According to Open the Books founder and CEO Adam Andrzejewski, a culture of militarization has permeated across the federal bureaucracy. In many cases, these agencies are stockpiling the very weapons some politicians seek to ban citizens from owning. This is a worrying trend that needs to be addressed.

Who Are They Preparing to Battle?

It’s not just the IRS that’s stockpiling weapons. Dozens of other rank-and-file administrative federal agencies are doing the same. The question is, who are they preparing to battle? This is a question that needs to be answered, especially since the federal government now employs more than 200,000 agents with arrest and firearm authority.

NIH and Office of Assistant Secretary for Health Also Involved

The report also revealed that the National Institutes of Health and the Office of Assistant Secretary for Health are involved in the purchase of $100 million in guns, ammunition, and military-style equipment. This is concerning, especially since NIH’s internal police force includes 105 officers, which is larger than 95 percent of the police departments across the United States.

The Bottom Line

The federal government’s spending on military-style equipment is a worrying trend that needs to be addressed. It’s time for the government to be transparent about its spending and to explain why it needs to stockpile weapons and ammunition. The American people deserve answers.

• Since 2006, “76 rank-and-file agencies” outside “traditional law enforcement entities” or the Department of Defense spent $3.7 billion on “guns, ammunition, and military-style equipment.”
• The federal government now employs more than 200,000 agents with “arrest and firearm authority.”
• The IRS has seen its annual spending on weapons and ammunition nearly double since 2020.
• NIH’s internal police force includes 105 officers, which is larger than 95 percent of the police departments across the United States.
• The Office of Assistant Secretary for Health is involved in the purchase of $100 million in guns, ammunition, and military-style equipment.

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