Yes, your tax dollars are funding this, but they are funding much worse. In terms of the useless: a friend ordered a $25,000 computer with 192 GB of RAM because he had a research grant for computer hardware that he had to use up. In terms of the horrifying: Extrajudicial murder of civilians.

I wasn't being serious; this was all likely just a prank anyway

Yes, in addition to all of the surveillance programs being discussed, as well as the salaries of the people who lied to Congress about it.

If it makes you feel any better, many (most?) Senate interns are unpaid.