# Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency Caucus

The Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus is a group established in November 2024 within the United States Congress. Its primary objective is to collaborate with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government.

## Formation and leadership

The DOGE Caucus was co-founded by Representatives Aaron Bean (R-FL) and Pete Sessions (R-TX) on November 19, 2024. In the Senate, Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) was appointed to lead the corresponding Senate DOGE Caucus on November 22, 2024. The House counterpart functions as a subcommittee of the House Oversight Committee, chaired by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA).
The caucus led by Republicans is a separate entity from Elon Musk’s advisory DOGE department. The caucus is also separate from the DOGE House subcommittee led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Among the Democrats, Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) was the first Democrat to join Congress' DOGE caucus, while several other Democrats have expressed support and willingness to work with DOGE, including Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA). Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) has called for Democrats and Republicans to work together to make government more efficient without hurting people. Another Democrat to join the caucus is Rep. Val Hoyle of Springfield, Oregon who has voiced support for some cost-cutting measures, including holding the Department of Defense accountable for repeatedly failed audits.
On December 17, 2024, the DOGE caucus held its first meeting which lawmakers described as largely organizational.

## Mission and objectives

The caucus aims to support the Department of Government Efficiency in its mission to dismantle excessive government bureaucracy, reduce unnecessary regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies. This initiative aligns with President-elect Donald Trump's directive to Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who were appointed to lead the Department of Government Efficiency.
The caucus aims to work closely with the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, to implement strategies aimed at reducing federal spending and enhancing governmental efficiency.

## Agenda and ideas

The establishment of the DOGE Caucus has garnered attention for its goals of reducing government spending and bureaucracy. While supporters advocate for increased efficiency and fiscal responsibility, critics express skepticism regarding the feasibility of achieving significant budget cuts without affecting essential services. Concerns have also been raised about potential conflicts of interest, given the private sector backgrounds of key figures involved in the Department of Government Efficiency. Several other Democrats have begun offering ideas for DOGE, including Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who has ideas on cutting agency redundancies, instituting self-populating tax forms, as well as scrapping fossil fuel subsidies. Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) has proposed reducing the size of many government forms, such as student financial aid applications and tax return forms, while Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) suggested making it easier to obtain permits for infrastructure and development projects. Further, Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) has stated that he is working on a bill to "move all the federal agencies out of D.C." and send them to states.

## Meetings and discussions

The DOGE Caucus held its first meeting on December 17, 2024, with over 60 members in attendance, according to DOGE Caucus co-chair Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Florida. The attendees included three Democrats – Reps. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., Val Hoyle, D-Ore., and the first Democrat to join the DOGE Caucus, Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla.
The discussions encouraged lawmakers to think of what kind of DOGE goals would be "worthwhile lifts," "quick wins," "lower priority," and "low-hanging fruit," and a likely "low-hanging fruit" was mentioned as "People going back to work."

## DOGE-related bills
### DRAIN THE SWAMP Act

In December 2024, Senator Joni Ernst introduced a bill known as the "DRAIN THE SWAMP Act", which would require each executive agency to relocate at least 30 percent of employees currently working at Washington, D.C. headquarters to offices located outside of the D.C. metro area. Further, the bills proposes that for employees remaining at a Washington, D.C. headquarters, their ability to telework will be restricted, and require the Office of Management and Budget to reduce the office space of executive agency headquarters by at least 30 percent. The bill died at the end of the 118th Congress in January 2025, and was introduced in the 119th Congress on January 7.