At Hearing, Nonpartisan U.S. Comptroller General Confirms Musk’s DOGE is Increasing National Risk and Undermining Services to Americans

Washington, D.C. (February 26, 2025)—At a hearing on how Congress can improve government and address the risks outlined in the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) 2025 High Risk List, Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, led Committee Democrats in calling out the Trump-Musk Administration for exacerbating GAO’s identified risks with anti-constitutional power grabs, and Republicans for their devastating cuts that will undermine vital programs and services just to subsidize massive tax breaks for the ultra-rich. 

“When we talk about efficiency and trying to achieve results for the American people, you don’t do it by taking a wrecking ball to the entire structure and hope you get the bad with the good.  You, in fact, take out a scalpel, and you, and you cut out the excess, you cut out the waste and you do it in a thoughtful and reflective manner,” said Ranking Member Connolly in his opening statement.    

The hearing included testimony from Gene L. Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States and head of the Government Accountability Office. 

Committee Democrats called out President Trump and Elon Musk’s anti-constitutional power grabs that are clearing a pathway to corruption and chaos for the American people.   

• Rep. Dave Min stressed President Trump and Elon Musk’s illegal and unconstitutional bypassing of Congress’s role in passing laws and appropriating funds, pointing out that they “are overturning laws that we passed, they’re deleting agencies that we have funded and created, and they’re doing so without consultation with Congress.”
   
• Rep. Shontel Brown called out the disingenuous nature of Trump’s alleged commitment to government efficiency, stating:  “Trump created the redundant Department of Government Efficiency, putting his billionaire campaign donor, Elon Musk—who just so happens to be a government contractor—in charge.  That’s not efficiency.  That’s corruption dressed up as reform.” 
   
• In an exchange with Rep. Robert Garcia, Mr. Dodaro confirmed that DOGE’s reckless firing of workers critical to public safety does not align with GAO recommendations.
  • Rep. Garcia asked, “Has the GAO recommendation ever included firing FAA aircraft safety inspectors who repair air traffic control facilities?”  Mr. Dodaro responded, “Not, no.”   
     
  • Rep. Garcia then asked, “Has GAO ever made any recommendation of firing USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service workers who were tracking the bird flu outbreak or other outbreaks in poultry and cattle?” Mr. Dodaro replied, “I do not believe so, no.”   
     
  • Rep. Garcia also asked, “Has GAO recommended firing National Nuclear Security Administration workers who oversee our nation’s nuclear stockpile?”  Mr. Dodaro replied, “No.”

Committee Democrats emphasized how Republicans are slashing vital programs and services Americans rely on to subsidize massive tax breaks for the ultra-rich that drive up the national debt.   

• Rep. Lateefah Simon highlighted that cuts to the Veterans Administration break a promise to our servicemembers, saying:  “This Administration fired over 1,000 VA workers.  So, you know, when you cut staff, you cut services.  And when you cut services, these are more than just budget decisions.  It’s a betrayal of the American promise.  Our servicemen and women deserve better.” 
   
• Rep. Stephen Lynch also noted the danger of the Musk-Trump decision to purge VA workers.  Mr. Dodaro agreed, explaining that understaffing the VA is already considered a high-risk concern, and explained:  “It’s not gonna help the situation.  You know, we already had them listed as having shortages in those areas, and they have difficulty retaining people.  I’m very concerned about mental health and suicide prevention.” 
   
• Pointing out that Congressional Republicans are slashing Medicaid funding to pay for tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy, Rep. Garcia emphasized, “41% of U.S. births were paid for by Medicaid. And so, if this is really about supporting families and about expanding families, we should also be talking about supporting and expanding Medicaid coverage for Americans.  We should be providing more coverage, not less.”

Committee Democrats introduced the Taxpayer Funds Oversight and Accountability Act and laid out an alternative vision for a more efficient government that best serves the American people and uses taxpayer dollars responsibly. 

• Rep. Ayanna Pressley said that government efficiency is about serving the American people, not about draconian cuts to services:  “It’s not about slashing budgets for the sake of headlines while weakening the very services that keep people safe, fed, and housed.  True efficiency is about making government work better for the people, protecting their rights, strengthening essential services, and ensuring tax dollars go to the public good—not private profits.” 
   
• Ranking Member Connolly emphasized that with smart, targeted reforms, both sides have been able to work toward a common goal of government efficiency, citing IT modernization as an example:  “In information technology modernization, which I focused on in the 16 years I’ve been in this Committee, we have saved, according to GAO, $31 billion.” 
   
• When Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton noted that DOGE’s mass, indiscriminate purges of federal workers were problematic, Mr. Dodaro said:  “There’s a need for change, but how you do it matters, and going about it in the way that it’s being done now can cause some short-term problems for the government, because it can create other vulnerabilities, unintended vulnerabilities ... [i]t should be done in a respectful way, and it should be done also in a way that does not hurt the federal government in the long term.”