Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency faces an uncertain future as Democratic lawmakers push for legislation to halt its operations.
According to Newsweek, Representative Sara Jacobs of California introduced the Delete DOGE Act on Thursday, which aims to prohibit federal funding for the controversial government efficiency initiative and rescind any unobligated funds currently available to the department.
The proposed legislation comes amid growing criticism of DOGE's aggressive cost-cutting measures, which have resulted in widespread layoffs across federal agencies and the termination of crucial programs. The initiative, established through an executive order by President Donald Trump in January, has faced particular scrutiny over its handling of essential government services and personnel decisions.
The impact of DOGE's cost-cutting measures has reverberated throughout the federal government, affecting multiple agencies and hundreds of thousands of workers. The Department of Health and Human Services announced plans to eliminate 10,000 jobs, while the Environmental Protection Agency prepares to dissolve its scientific research office, potentially affecting over 1,000 scientists and staff members.
The Internal Revenue Service faces a reduction of 18,000 employees, representing approximately 20% of its workforce. The United States Postal Service plans to cut 10,000 positions following the resignation of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.
The Department of Veterans Affairs has proposed a dramatic reorganization that would eliminate 80,000 jobs, while the Pentagon aims to reduce its civilian workforce by 50,000 to 60,000 positions. These cuts have sparked concerns about the potential impact on essential government services and national security.
Representative Jacobs, speaking on MSNBC, emphasized her concerns about the initiative's true motivations.
This wholesale firing, this wholesale sort of gutting of these programs—that is not about government efficiency. That is about supposedly finding cuts so that they can fund the tax cuts for billionaires that they really want to pass.
The task force has faced criticism for several high-profile missteps, including the accidental termination of employees managing nuclear weapons and workers staffing the Department of Veterans Affairs' suicide crisis hotline. DOGE also mistakenly cut an Ebola prevention initiative and fired personnel working on the government's bird flu response.
DOGE claims to have achieved $140 billion in savings as of March 30, though independent analysis suggests the verifiable amount is significantly lower. The Musk Watch DOGE Tracker, developed by data analyst Brian Banks, indicates actual verified savings of approximately $11.7 billion as of April 1.
Recent actions by DOGE include the cancellation of $51 million in grants from the U.S. African Development Foundation. These cuts affected various development projects across Africa, including organic shea butter marketing in Burkina Faso and mango drying facilities in the Ivory Coast.
Legal challenges have emerged, with nearly 20 states filing lawsuits alleging illegal mass firings of probationary workers. Two federal judges have already ordered 19 federal agencies to reinstate terminated probationary employees.
The Delete DOGE Act represents the latest challenge to Elon Musk's controversial government efficiency initiative, which has sparked intense debate over its methods and effectiveness since its creation in January.
The legislation, introduced by Representative Sara Jacobs, seeks to completely defund the Department of Government Efficiency and prevent future federal funding for its operations. As the bill gains attention in Congress, its fate will determine the future of DOGE's ambitious cost-cutting agenda and its impact on the federal workforce and government services.
