April 8, 2025
Mr. Schneider (for himself and Mr. Lynch) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
To prevent fraud, waste, and abuse by requiring the Administrator of the United States Department of Government Efficiency Service to provide weekly reports to Congress regarding changes DOGE has made to any Federal agency and the realized impacts of such changes, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the DOGE Accountability and Transparency Act
.
Sec. 2. Findings
Congress finds the following:
(1)
Congress has a responsibility to review, monitor, supervise, and evaluate the actions of the executive branch to provide effective oversight as a co-equal branch of Government.
(2)
The authority of the Congress to provide oversight and obtain information from the executive branch is firmly established and essential to its legislative function derived from Article I of the Constitution.
(3)
The Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 established that “each standing committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives shall exercise continuous watchfulness of the execution by the administrative agencies concerned of any laws, the subject matter of which is within the jurisdiction of such committee; and, for that purpose, shall study all pertinent reports and data submitted to the Congress by the agencies in the executive branch of the Government.”
(4)
On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to reorganize the U.S. Digital Service as the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Service and directs DOGE to “implement the President’s DOGE Agenda, by monitoring Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.”
(5)
DOGE has pushed for large-scale reductions in force and office closures (often arbitrarily and capriciously), which will have a significant adverse impact on the ability of agencies to serve citizens of the United States.
(6)
Reductions in Force (RIFs) and scaling back, or completely eliminating programs at Federal agencies should be based on real and transparent analysis and formal, deliberate program evaluation, not for the purposes of pursuing personal vendettas or yielding personal financial gain for well-connected individuals.
(7)
The illogical and erratic, chainsaw approach of DOGE has sown confusion and chaos for employees at Federal agencies and the citizens of the United States alike.
(8)
The citizens of the United States expect and deserve ongoing transparency of the actions of the Federal Government, particularly when their personal, private data is concerned.
Sec. 3. Department of Government Efficiency activity and impact reports
(a) Weekly report
Not later than 1 week after the date of the enactment of this Act, and weekly thereafter, the Administrator of the United States Department of Government Efficiency Service shall provide to Congress a report regarding any action DOGE has taken with respect to each Federal agency and the cumulative impact of actions taken to date, including the following:
(1)
Each statutory authorization supporting each such change.
(2)
Any change in the number of employees at the respective Federal agency, including any employee that has resigned, been removed, or had their position eliminated.
(3)
A description of each specific change DOGE has made to the respective Federal agency, including to an office within such agency.
(4)
Any cost-saving measure.
(5)
Any policy change.
(6)
Any physical change to a Federal agency structure or location, including moving a Federal agency to a different building and relocating employees.
(7)
A description of any Federal agency data accessed by DOGE, the name of the individual who accessed such data, the purpose for such access, and what was done with such data.
(8)
The realized versus expected benefits of DOGE actions to date.
(b) Initial report
Not later than 1 week after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report of any DOGE activity listed under subsection (a) that occurred between January 20, 2025, and the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Definitions
In this section:
(1) DOGE
The term DOGE means the United States DOGE Service (commonly referred to as the Department of Government Efficiency).
(2) Federal agency
The term Federal agency has the meaning given the term agency in section 551 of title 5, United States Code.