Lawmakers eye ‘low hanging fruit’ for government efficiency after first DOGE Caucus meeting

The newly formed Congressional DOGE Caucus, which stands for Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency, is gearing up for a crackdown on federal agencies’ work-from-home policies once Republicans take over in Washington DC next year. The group’s aim is to increase government efficiency and cut costs, coinciding with the establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) advisory panel commissioned by President-elect Trump, led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.

The caucus recently held its first meeting, which was described as largely organizational by lawmakers who were in attendance. Co-chair Rep. Aaron Bean of Florida stated that the room was full of interested lawmakers, with over 60 members attending, including three Democrats. Lawmakers were encouraged to prioritize initiatives and think about goals that would be worthwhile lifts, quick wins, lower priority, and low-hanging fruit.

One of the main focuses of the caucus appears to be the issue of federal workers working from home. Rep. Bean highlighted the fact that a large percentage of federal employees work from home, leading to a significant decrease in office occupancy rates. This raises questions about the necessity of maintaining billions of square feet of commercial office space if employees are not utilizing it.

Rep. Beth Van Duyne of Texas echoed these sentiments, pointing out that only a small percentage of federal workers are regularly going into the office, yet the government is still paying for office space for all employees. This inefficiency presents an opportunity for cost-cutting and streamlining government operations.

Despite criticism that the DOGE push is a way for Republicans to cut benefits such as Social Security and Medicare, Rep. Bean emphasized that the intent is not to reduce benefits but to safeguard them by finding efficiencies elsewhere in the government. Lawmakers who attended the meeting expressed enthusiasm for the group’s goals of cost-cutting and efficiency.

Moving forward, the DOGE Caucus plans to split into working groups targeting various aspects of government efficiency. The next meeting is scheduled for January, where members will continue to develop ideas and initiatives to improve government operations.

Overall, the DOGE Caucus is focused on increasing efficiency, cutting costs, and streamlining government operations. With the guidance of Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, lawmakers are optimistic about the potential for meaningful change in Washington DC.