Donald Trump needs the Senate to cooperate with him. So far that’s been a major question mark.
And now U.S. Senators have given Donald Trump a two word response to a high-stakes meeting.
President-elect Donald Trump has high expectations for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that he wants to be headed up by businessmen Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk. The idea here is to identify as much government fat as possible for cutting wasteful bureaucracy that costs the American taxpayers millions and billions of dollars.
Some within the media have laughed the idea off. Democrats on the Hill say that there’s no point of the agency. Bureaucrats are doing everything they can to stiff arm the DOGE idea as much as possible. The political class relies on wasteful bureaucracy, which is what Donald Trump absolutely hates with a passion.
Well Donald Trump has just received good news that his idea to cut down on government waste could actually get some traction from the Washington, D.C. brass in a surprise turn. Apparently the initial meetings between Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, and key Republicans on the Hill have gone extremely well. There’s even some lawmakers who are excited about the potential of DOGE.
Trump’s New Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Gains Strong Support from Lawmakers
President-elect Donald Trump’s initiative to establish a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is receiving widespread praise from Capitol Hill, particularly from Republican lawmakers who are excited about its potential to rein in government waste and reduce costs. With a focus on cutting red tape and enhancing federal operations, DOGE is expected to be a cornerstone of Trump’s administration.
In November, Trump appointed Tesla CEO Elon Musk and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to co-lead the new department. Their appointment marks a strategic move aimed at tackling inefficiency and streamlining government processes. Both Musk and Ramaswamy are known for their disruptive approaches to business and politics, which makes them ideal candidates for this ambitious endeavor.
Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), chair of the Senate’s DOGE Caucus, expressed strong support during a meeting with fellow senators last Thursday, where she unveiled a 60-page proposal designed to cut government costs. Ramaswamy attended the meeting, while Musk was simultaneously meeting with incoming Senate Majority Leader, Senator John Thune (R-S.D.).
“I’m very impressed with what Elon and Vivek want to accomplish,” Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) remarked after the meeting. “I can’t talk about what they are going to be proposing, but I’ve known them for a long time, and I think they’re going to do a great job.” Scott’s words echo the growing optimism among Republicans regarding the success of DOGE.
Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) highlighted that the meeting was just the beginning of a broader discussion. “We talked about a lot of things. This is the very beginning of a process that, if we do it right, will be ongoing,” he said. Tillis also expressed confidence that Democrats would eventually support the initiative, given the bipartisan nature of the cost-cutting goals.
For Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Ark.), tackling regulatory burdens and addressing the litigious environment in the country were key components of the DOGE initiative. He emphasized that reducing these obstacles would help businesses and individuals thrive, making the U.S. government more efficient overall.
Meanwhile, Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) offered a positive assessment of the meeting, calling it “a good meeting” that paved the way for future cooperation.
A significant part of the DOGE framework involves restructuring the federal workforce, as proposed by Senator Ernst. She suggested relocating Washington’s government employees across the country to reduce the high costs of operating in the nation’s capital. Additionally, Ernst called for setting a target for federal agencies to achieve 60% daily occupancy at their headquarters, a move aimed at boosting in-person work and improving productivity.
According to a report shared with Fox News Digital, Ernst’s findings show that only 6% of federal workers currently report to work full-time, with nearly a third working remotely. The proposed reforms aim to address this imbalance and create a more efficient, cost-effective federal workforce.
With these bold proposals, the Trump administration’s DOGE initiative promises to revolutionize the way the federal government operates, focusing on eliminating waste and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are used wisely. Early support from key lawmakers signals that DOGE is on track to become a central part of Trump’s plan to streamline the federal government and put American interests first.
It has been a goal of conservatives to cut spending for the likes of Planned Parenthood. They’ve argued and lobbied for years to prevent more taxpayer dollars from going to the largest abortion provider in the nation. For the first time it seems like this might be a real possibility as it has been coming up frequently in conversations about cutting government spending.
BREAKING: Like DOGE, Speaker Mike Johnson plans to defund Planned Parenthood, which receives millions in federal tax dollars and kills around 1,500 to 3,000 babies per day.
Good.
No American should be funding them. pic.twitter.com/I0SX65UOlw
— Anna Lulis (@annamlulis) December 5, 2024
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
