Citizens Against Government Waste

Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) is a private, non-partisan, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1984 by industrialist J. Peter Grace and syndicated columnist Jack Anderson, its core mission is to eliminate waste, mismanagement, and inefficiency in the federal government. CAGW functions as a government watchdog and advocacy group, focusing on fiscally conservative principles.

CAGW's activities primarily involve research and public education to expose and reduce government spending. Key outputs include the annual "Congressional Pig Book Summary," which details "pork-barrel" projects, and "Prime Cuts," a list of recommendations for reducing wasteful spending. The organization also publishes "Porker of the Month" press releases, issue briefs, and investigative reports, and its lobbying arm, the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW), engages in direct advocacy and produces congressional ratings based on voting records.

Thomas A. Schatz has served as President of CAGW since 1992. The organization regularly highlights current examples of government inefficiency, such as naming the U.S. Postal Service its "Porker of the Month" in June 2026 for its financial condition. CAGW also addresses critical waste issues for Congress, covering areas like healthcare, telecommunications, and defense spending, and claims to have contributed to trillions of dollars in taxpayer savings through its recommendations.