Trump Impact: GOP creates congressional panel to help slash federal jobs with DOGE – WTOP News

This story is part of WTOP’s ongoing series, Trump Impact, which looks at how the new administration could change the D.C. region.

Congressional Republicans are establishing a new subcommittee to root out waste in federal spending and cut government jobs, which will work with the new Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

The panel will be led by Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, of Georgia, a vocal supporter of President-elect Donald Trump, who is sharply critical of government agencies and employees.

She said the subcommittee will work “hand in hand” with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who have pledged DOGE will help carry out the most sweeping federal cuts in the country’s history.

The panel will be under the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability. Greene said her subcommittee will examine waste in federal contracting as well as government agencies.

“We have thousands of buildings that the federal government owns and pays for … but yet those government buildings sit empty, and these government employees stay at home,” she said on Fox’s “Sunday Morning Futures” hosted by Maria Bartiromo.

GOP legislation has suggested the government could save taxpayers close to $15 billion over a period of five years, if federal agencies could sell off empty and underutilized buildings.

“The federal government should be providing the top and the best customer service to the American people and the way to do that is to carefully spend their money,” Greene said, noting everything will be on the table.

Ramaswamy has suggested forcing federal workers to come into the office five days a week would cause many of them to leave the government.

But unions representing federal workers have pushed back on that, arguing along with D.C.-area lawmakers that telework doesn’t undermine productivity.

Lawmakers in the D.C. area have vowed to fight to protect the jobs and the rights of federal workers.

Greene has cited a wide range of targets for cuts, including National Public Radio. Republicans for years have sought to reduce federal assistance for NPR.

While on Fox, she also said lawmakers will consider cutting off federal funds to so-called “sanctuary cities” that have sought to protect the rights of immigrants.

“Our subcommittee has a lot of work to do,” Greene said, adding that federal agencies and managers of grant programs will be called to testify before her panel and justify their funding.

In the Senate, meanwhile, Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, of Iowa, has been named to head a new DOGE caucus. She said on Fox she hopes to make the federal establishment “squeal” with major spending cuts.

Her office for years has given out “Squeal Awards” that seek to publicize wasteful federal spending. Ernst has also criticized federal agencies for not getting more employees back in the office.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has supported calls to get more federal employees in offices as well.

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