After a meeting behind closed doors, the DOGE parliamentary group’s plan to reduce government waste emerged: ‘great synergy’
The congressional DOGE caucus’ plans to cut government waste are moving into focus after the group’s second closed-door meeting on Wednesday.
Caucus leaders divide lawmakers into eight task forces focused on different sectors to reduce waste. They will focus on pensions, social and family safety nets, emergency supplemental funding, energy permitting, homeland security, defense and veterans, workforce and government operations, according to the document seen by Fox News Digital.
Co-chairs Aaron Bean, R-Fla., and Pete Sessions, R-Texas, challenged lawmakers in the room to introduce at least one government efficiency bill in the 119th Congress.
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The Congressional DOGE Caucus, led by Rep. Aaron Bean (pictured), Pete Sessions and Blake Moore, held its second meeting (House of Representatives/Getty Images)
Both told Fox News Digital that it’s just one of a coordinated effort the caucus is planning as it seeks to be the legislative underpinning for the Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE), which is co-chaired by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.
“We are we’re going to aim for a day when we’re going to scrap parts of the bill, a day when we’re going to get on the floor and talk to the American people,” Sessions told Fox News Digital.
Bean explained the idea, calling it “DOGE Days”.
“We’re going to have a day where hopefully we can put together 20, 30 bills and all the DOGE members come forward, boom, we’re on them,” Bean said. “We will have great teamwork and great synergy and momentum.”
They asked participants to fill out a survey, a copy of which was obtained by Fox News Digital, indicating which task forces they would like to be a part of.
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Congressional DOGE Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Pete Sessions (Getty Images)
During the closed-door meeting, lawmakers took turns discussing their own ideas for reducing government waste.
Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., called for a constitutional amendment requiring Congress to balance the federal budget.
And Rep. Jeff Van Drew, RN.J., has proposed ending the right to the child tax credit for illegal immigrants.
“We’re not careful enough right now … where illegal aliens get the child tax credit, the child care tax credit. It’s ridiculous. You know, that’s what I’m trying to say is that these are easy things to do, low-hanging fruit.” , Van Drew told Fox News Digital when asked about his comments at the meeting.
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, who leads DOGE effort on side of the Senate and also attended a meeting of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, urging lawmakers there to work with their counterparts in the upper chamber on bicameral bills.
Legislators were enthusiastic about the goals set by Musk and Ramaswamy’s new record. At the behest of President-elect Trump, the group is an advisory council whose goal is to recommend where the executive branch can reduce government waste.
Senator Joni Ernst, who leads DOGE’s efforts in the Senate, also attended (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The DOGE Caucus is an attempt to become Trump’s cost reduction initiatives permanently through legislation.
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The group also opened an email tip that Bean and Sessions said has already received more than 15,000 emails.
Bean said he was surprised but pleased by the enthusiasm.
Sessions added, “I got probably 200 letters here that were actually typed, and some were written, that said, ‘Thank you for doing this. I’d love to hear from you.’ And this is a tribute to the American people who also participated in the game.”
