This episode of Budget Watchdog All Federal dives into the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026, examining critical taxpayer protection measures at stake. Host Steve Ellis and policy analyst Gabe Murphy discuss the Pentagon's proposed budget increases, controversial acquisition reform proposals like the FORGED and SPEED Acts, and key amendments, including Pentagon audit accountability measures and right-to-repair provisions. They also cover unfunded priority lists, the costly Golden Dome missile defense program, and recent developments in defense spending that could impact taxpayers for years to come.

Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, we're still making the same costly mistakes. Despite spending over $122 billion on flood control since the 1920s, average annual flood damages had tripled even before Katrina hit. TCS Director of Research Josh Sewell joins host Steve Ellis to examine how moral hazard, poor planning, and recent policy changes are wasting taxpayer dollars while leaving communities more vulnerable than ever to increasingly frequent and severe disasters.

The EPA's delay of methane waste standards will cost taxpayers $170 million as billions of cubic feet of natural gas escape into the atmosphere instead of reaching markets. Host Steve Ellis explores this fiscal and health crisis with TCS Vice President Autumn Hanna, Center for Methane Emission Solutions' Isaac Brown, and Evangelical Environmental Network's Rev. Dr. Jessica Moerman. From lost royalty revenues to public health impacts, discover why methane waste prevention isn't just environmental policy—it's smart fiscal stewardship.