Waste of the Day: IRS Stocks Up On Weapons
Topline: Employees at the Internal Revenue Service are busy processing tax returns, but they’re equipped with supplies that go far beyond laptops and calculators. The IRS spent $2.6 million last year on military-style equipment like ammunition and rifle plates.
Federal agencies besides the Department of War spent more than $448 million on military equipment in fiscal year 2025. The dollar total encompasses 40 purchasing categories listed on USAspending.gov, such as grenades and chemical weapons.
Key facts: Some of the weaponry was purchased by law enforcement agencies like the Department of Justice and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But 60 agencies in total bought military equipment, including many like the Bureau of Engraving and Printing that have a less-than-obvious need for it.
The Social Security Administration spent $630,471 on handguns, bullets and armored vests. The U.S. Mint spent $193,545 on guns and bullets. The Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services bought “brand name only” 12-gauge shotguns. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration spent $130,688 on 180,000 rounds of ammunition.
The IRS’ spending included $30,330 for night-vision binoculars and $933,992 for body armor. The agency has more than 2,000 special agents with firearm authority who investigate tax fraud and related crimes.
Search all federal, state and local salaries and vendor spending with the world’s largest government spending database at OpenTheBooks.com.
Background: Weapons purchases by seemingly docile agencies are not new. Open the Books previously cataloged $3.7 billion worth of military-grade equipment purchased from 2006 to 2023, adjusted for inflation.
At the time, the estimated number of non-military federal employees and contractors with firearm authority outnumbered the U.S. Marines.
Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL) introduced the Why Does the IRS Need Guns Act in 2025 to ban the agency from buying weapons, but the bill never reached a vote.
Summary: Security guards and police officers have a legitimate need for military-style equipment, but Americans should at the very least be aware that their tax dollars are buying guns for dozens of federal agencies.
The #WasteOfTheDay is brought to you by the forensic auditors at OpenTheBooks.com
