The newly formed Congressional DOGE (Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency) Caucus is setting its sights on federal agencies' work-from-home policies as Republicans prepare to assume control in Washington D.C. This coincides with President-elect Trump's newly established Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE, led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.
The caucus, which held its inaugural meeting on Tuesday, saw significant interest from lawmakers, with over 60 members attending, including three Democrats. The meeting focused on organizational matters and encouraged members to brainstorm potential DOGE objectives, categorizing them by feasibility and impact.
One key area of focus is the prevalence of remote work among federal employees. Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., co-chair of the caucus, raised concerns about the low occupancy rates in federal buildings, questioning the necessity of maintaining extensive office spaces if employees primarily work from home. Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the financial implications of paying for unused office space.
Bean also addressed concerns that the DOGE initiative aims to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits, firmly stating that the intent is to safeguard these programs through efficiency improvements elsewhere in the government.
Other attendees expressed enthusiasm for the caucus's cost-cutting and efficiency goals. Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., emphasized the grassroots nature of the effort and the importance of translating ideas into actionable legislation. Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, another co-chair, highlighted the need to refine the numerous ideas into a workable format for Musk and Ramaswamy.
The caucus plans to form working groups to address specific aspects of DOGE's mission. The next meeting is scheduled for January.
