Department of Government Waste is a photo series shedding light on the often-overlooked human cost of federal budget cuts, layoffs, and program eliminations. The project features portraits and personal stories of former federal employees and contractors whose livelihoods have been dismissed as “waste” in the name of politics. As federal programs shrink and agencies face sweeping cuts, thousands of workers and contractors are left navigating uncertainty the news rarely pauses to acknowledge. 

The project continues to expand through select on-location documentation and supplementary storytelling.

“We’re dragging. We’re depressed. We’re scared.” — Former USAID employee

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