National Taxpayers Union (NTU) on Wednesday named U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) Taxpayer Defender of the Month for her leadership of the DOGE Caucus, her work to stop federal workers from double dipping unemployment benefits while working full-time, and her principled actions to increase transparency and efficiency in Washington.
As chair of the DOGE Caucus, Senator Ernst led the work to expose duplication, overlap, and fragmentation across federal programs that cost taxpayers tens of billions each year.
She also pressed agencies to halt “double dipping,” preventing federal employees from receiving both back pay and outside income for the same period during the government shutdown. 
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst on Wednesday was named Taxpayer Defender of the Month for her work guarding against wasteful spending. Pictured with National Taxpayers Union Executive Vice President Brandon Arnold.
“Senator Ernst has been a relentless force for taxpayers,” NTU Executive Vice President Brandon Arnold said. “She’s an outstanding choice for this award because of her leadership to eliminate duplication and waste, and her commitment to ensuring federal agencies follow basic standards of fairness and transparency.”
She has also repeatedly championed reforms to make federal agencies more accountable and transparent in their operations and spending.
“Iowa taxpayers sent me to Washington to fight inefficiency, duplication, and business-as-usual. That’s what I’ve been proud to do for more than a decade,” Senator Ernst said.
The Taxpayer Defender award honors leaders who go above and beyond to protect taxpayers through transparency, fiscal discipline, and principled leadership.
Each month, NTU selects one leader who demonstrates a clear, consistent commitment to limiting taxes, spending, and regulation at every level of government. Previous award winners include House Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Anyone can nominate a Taxpayer Defender of the Month on the National Taxpayers Union website.
National Taxpayers Union is the only free-market organization for taxpayers that unites effective advocacy with useful research about how to limit taxes, spending, and regulation at every level and branch of government—state, federal, administrative, and judicial.
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst on Wednesday was named Taxpayer Defender of the Month for her work guarding against wasteful spending. Pictured with National Taxpayers Union Executive Vice President Brandon Arnold.