Congress Must Put Americans First, Not Special Interests!

The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) fights for the public by rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government. Our core mission is holding government accountable — but what happens when private industry is involved?

Last year, POGO obtained emails showing the snack food and corn syrup lobby maintains ties with former employees who went to work at the USDA. These relationships call into question who really sets USDA policy, including school lunch nutrition standards.

In January, POGO reported that before joining the government, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler hosted election fundraisers for Senators who sit on committees with oversight over the EPA. These Senators later confirmed Wheeler to lead the agency.

POGO is also currently tracking Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan. He spent 30 years negotiating contracts for Boeing, the Pentagon's second largest contractor, and is now in a position to favor his former employer over U.S. security.

Serving as a public official means upholding public trust by acting with integrity, not advancing industry's financial interests.

Conflicts of interest compromise the integrity of U.S. policy and endanger the health and safety of Americans and our natural resources. Congress must protect consumers — not companies.

Add your name to tell Congress to prioritize people, not special interests.