WASHINGTON, D.C. — House Democrats introduced legislation this week to dismantle Elon Musk’s controversial DOGE initiative, accusing the billionaire of gutting federal programs, firing essential workers, and compromising national security through unchecked executive authority.
Key Points
- Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) introduced the Delete DOGE Act to defund Musk’s DOGE initiative.
- DOGE has reportedly cut thousands of federal jobs and disrupted vital agencies like the VA and NIH.
- The bill seeks to block all federal funding for DOGE and rescind any current, unused funds.
Rep. Sara Jacobs (CA-51) unveiled the Delete DOGE Act in response to widespread federal disruption allegedly caused by DOGE, a Musk-backed initiative which she claims has eliminated key government functions and redirected resources to benefit billionaires.
“‘Move fast, break things’ is a motto that might work for the tech sector,” Jacobs said, “but it costs lives when we’re talking about cuts to cancer research, VA health care and the suicide hotline, Medicare, and Social Security.”
The proposed bill would prohibit any federal funding from being used to implement DOGE, rescind any unspent money currently allocated to it, and block future appropriations. Jacobs and other Democrats claim DOGE’s impact has already been severe, citing shutdowns in NIH medical research, air traffic control staffing shortages, and the firing of USDA employees amid a bird flu outbreak.
Among the more serious allegations: DOGE led to the dismissal of nuclear specialists at the Department of Energy—many of whom had to be rehired—and allowed for critical cyber breaches by deactivating government websites handling personal data.
The initiative, which Jacobs described as an unlawful expansion of executive power, allegedly left key services vulnerable, including the VA’s suicide crisis hotline. While public infrastructure has been cut, Musk’s companies reportedly continue to benefit from $38 billion in federal contracts.
Jacobs called on her colleagues across the aisle to join the effort: “I hope my Republican colleagues will find the courage to stand up to Elon Musk and support my bill to protect our country’s stability, security, and public trust.”
