DOGE caucus roadmap for cutting government waste emerges after closed-door meeting: ‘great synergy’

The Congressional DOGE Caucus is gearing up to tackle government waste with a strategic plan in place after their second closed-door meeting. The caucus, led by co-chairs Aaron Bean and Pete Sessions, is dividing lawmakers into eight working groups to focus on different sectors for waste-cutting initiatives.

These working groups will target areas such as retirement, social and family safety nets, emergency supplemental funding, energy permitting, homeland security, defense and veterans, the workforce, and government operations. The goal is to introduce at least one bill related to government efficiency in the 119th Congress.

Bean and Sessions are spearheading coordinated efforts within the caucus to support the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is co-led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. They have outlined plans for a designated “DOGE Day” where multiple bills related to government efficiency will be introduced on the floor of Congress.

Lawmakers attending the closed-door meeting were encouraged to participate in the initiative by filling out a survey to indicate their interest in joining specific working groups. Ideas for cutting government waste were also shared during the meeting, with suggestions ranging from a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced federal budget to eliminating child tax credit eligibility for illegal immigrants.

Sen. Joni Ernst, who leads the DOGE efforts in the Senate, emphasized the importance of collaborating on bicameral bills with House lawmakers. The DOGE Caucus is committed to making President-elect Trump’s cost-cutting initiatives permanent through legislative action.

The enthusiasm for Musk and Ramaswamy’s advisory panel on government waste has been high among lawmakers, with the creation of an email tip line receiving over 15,000 emails. Bean and Sessions have been encouraged by the response from the American people, who have shown strong support for efforts to reduce government waste.

As the DOGE Caucus continues its work to streamline government operations and cut unnecessary spending, lawmakers are optimistic about the potential impact of their efforts. By focusing on bipartisan collaboration and innovative solutions, the caucus aims to make a lasting impact on government efficiency.