Locking in the DOGE Cuts: Ending Waste, Fraud, and Abuse for Good

Government Efficiency, Financial Management and Intergovernmental Relations

2025-06-24

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Source: Congress.gov

Summary

Summary of the Subcommittee Meeting on Delivering on Government Efficiency

The hearing of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE) convened to discuss efforts to reduce government spending and improve efficiency, kicking off with a video highlighting the mission to achieve a smaller, less bureaucratic government that lives within its means by cutting waste, red tape, and streamlining operations. Speakers in the video emphasized the need to eliminate duplicate departments, promote competition for better services, and systematically root out waste to save billions of dollars for American taxpayers. The meeting quickly devolved into a contentious debate, with stark disagreements over the effectiveness and motivations behind DOGE's initiatives.

Themes

Goals of DOGE and Waste Reduction

Chairwoman Marjorie Taylor Greene stated that DOGE is actively delivering on promises to reduce the deficit and the size of government, unlike previous Democratic leaders whom she claims failed in similar efforts.[ 00:17:44-00:17:47 ]

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 She asserted that DOGE has identified $180 billion in savings by staunching waste, fraud, and abuse in federal spending, targeting areas such as "corrupt anti-American NGOs," "illegal DEI programs," and "wasteful, unnecessary federal grants, contracts, leases, and personnel."[ 00:18:39-00:19:36 ]

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 The administration, via DOGE, has proposed a $9 billion rescission request and a budget that would reduce non-discretionary spending by $163 billion, aiming for $2 trillion in savings over the coming decade to tackle the national debt.[ 00:22:26 ]

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Witnesses Matthew Dickerson, David Burton, and Dan Lips largely supported DOGE's objectives, emphasizing the unsustainable national debt and the urgent need for fiscal changes.[ 00:32:23-00:32:25 ]

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 They pointed to high levels of improper payments and the need to address entitlement spending to avoid a fiscal crisis. Dickerson suggested Congress use appropriations, workforce reforms, rescissions, and reconciliation to lock in DOGE's savings, while Lips noted that DOGE's efforts align with decades of bipartisan government reform initiatives, advocating for legislative action to ensure lasting efficiency.

Criticism of DOGE and its Negative Impact

Ranking Member Melanie Ann Stansbury characterized DOGE as a "scam in service of a political agenda," noting that a recent poll showed 67% of voters believed DOGE has done a bad job.[ 00:26:20 ]

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 She argued that DOGE has led to "chaotic, destructive, and ideological war" against Americans and vital programs, potentially costing more than it saved due to mass firings, dismantled agencies, and operational chaos.

Emily DiVito, a witness, stated that DOGE has failed by increasing costs, confusion, and complexity, and undermining consumer protections.[ 00:48:14-00:48:23 ]

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 She detailed how DOGE's interventions have disrupted access to critical benefits for millions, including Social Security recipients and veterans, leading to longer wait times, reduced services, and even closure of medical facilities.[ 00:49:08-00:49:48 ]

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 DiVito also highlighted cuts to IRS enforcement teams and scientific research funding, predicting negative impacts on U.S. revenue, innovation, and global health programs. Representatives Stephen Lynch and Suhas Subramanyam echoed these concerns, citing stalled life-saving clinical trials for veterans and delays in Social Security claims due to DOGE's actions.

Partisan Disagreement and Political Motivations

The meeting was marked by deep partisan division, with Chairwoman Greene accusing Democratic colleagues of mocking DOGE and promoting big government and spending, while also criticizing "absurd" and "disgusting" grants related to LGBTQ+ issues and racial justice as "far left ideology" and funding "genital mutilation of children."

Conversely, Ms. Stansbury explicitly linked DOGE to "Project 2025," a conservative initiative, accusing its proponents of aiming to remake the U.S. government with a "hyper conservative worldview" and engaging in "cancel culture" to eliminate programs they dislike. Representative Jasmine Felicia Crockett accused Republicans of an "aggressive attack on the working class families" and benefiting billionaires, coining DOGE as an acronym for "disinformation, obstruction, greed, and exploitation." The highly charged atmosphere included personal attacks and procedural skirmishes, such as a motion to subpoena Elon Musk, the former head of DOGE, which was tabled after a recorded vote.

Tone of the Meeting

The tone of the meeting was notably contentious and deeply polarized from the outset.[ 00:17:44-00:18:34 ]

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[ 00:26:09-00:26:35 ]

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 There was a clear and sharp division along party lines, with Republicans staunchly advocating for DOGE's efficiency measures and Democrats vehemently opposing them, viewing them as a destructive political agenda.[ 00:17:44-00:18:34 ]

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[ 00:26:09-00:26:35 ]

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 The discourse was characterized by frequent accusations and strong, often inflammatory language, including terms like "scam," "waste," "fraud," "abuse," "genital mutilation," "authoritarian approach," and "terrorizing the public." The meeting included several heated exchanges, personal remarks, and procedural interruptions, most notably a motion to subpoena Elon Musk that led to a recorded vote and further disruption. Both sides expressed a sense of urgency and alarm, with Republicans warning of an impending fiscal crisis and Democrats expressing serious concerns about the damage to vital public services and democratic institutions.[ 00:27:31-00:27:38 ]

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Participants

Transcript

This hearing of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency will come to order.  Welcome everyone.  Without objection, the chair may declare a recess at any time.  I recognize myself for the purpose of making an opening statement.  Good morning and welcome to today's hearing.  I would like to begin by showing a video of what DOGE is all about.
We know and we have worked to give the American people a smaller, less bureaucratic government in Washington.  And we have to give the American people one that lives within its means.
The era of big government is over.
The steps we're taking today will save the American taxpayers $9 billion.  And ordered federal agencies to cut billions of dollars in administrative costs   and to trim 100,000 federal positions by attrition.  This report tells us how to cut waste, cut red tape, streamline the bureaucracy, change procurement rules, change the personnel rules, and create a government that works better and costs less.
We'll consolidate departments.
We'll get rid of duplicate departments.
We'll allow competition to bring about better service at lower cost.  We can downsize government by 12%, reducing the bureaucracy by 252,000 positions.
Everyone knows that getting rid of the deficit will require some tough decisions.  And that includes cutting back on billions of dollars in programs that a lot of people care about.   But what should be easy is getting rid of the pointless waste and stupid spending that doesn't benefit anybody.  You're paying for thousands of buildings all across the country no one uses.  Now, the government hadn't been able to sell this building and others like it because of red tape.  We thought that it was entirely appropriate for our governments and our agencies to try to root out waste, large and small, in a systematic way.  And in September, Joe convened the cabinet   and has really pushed them hard in finding savings across all our agencies.  We need to step up our game.  We need to go after every dime.  We need to make government work for you.  That's why, starting today, I've asked the Vice President to lead a renewed effort to hunt down misspent tax dollars in every agency and department of this government.
We're not just eliminating fraud and waste.  We hope to be instilling an entire new culture that not only our administration, but every succeeding administration will in fact pursue.  We're going to give you the government you expect and deserve.
I certainly wish that my Democrat colleagues felt the same as their former Democrat leaders felt and worked to try to reduce our deficit and reduce the size of our government.  Unfortunately, these former Democrat leaders failed at what they were saying they were trying to do, but today's Doge and Doge subcommittee is actually delivering on those exact promises and we are delivering the results.   It's too bad that my Democrat colleagues constantly mock Doge, attack Doge, criticize Doge, and criticize the hardworking people in Doge.  They also attack this committee and attack what we're all about.  But that's today's Democrat Party.  They're for big government, big spending, and doing nothing for the American people.  They're America last.   This subcommittee has highlighted where DOGE has staunched the flow of waste, fraud, and abuse in federal spending.  DOGE drove the administration to turn off the spending faucet that was pouring out billions of dollars to corrupt anti-American NGOs   to illegal DEI programs, and to a vast array of wasteful, unnecessary federal grants, contracts, leases, and personnel.  President Trump drove this massive effort by creating DOGE via executive order on Inauguration Day.  He then issued a series of White House directives empowering DOGE teams to work with agency leaders government-wide in an unprecedented effort to root out wasteful spending   using all means at their disposal.  And that effort has borne fruit.  The DOGE website identifies $180 billion in savings achieved in just a matter of months.  We need to make sure we lock in those savings.  It should be the first installment we pay on our nation's $37 trillion debt.   We need to tackle that debt on behalf of our children and future generations.

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