In a rare bipartisan move, Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) announced Tuesday that he will join a House caucus supporting President-elect Donald Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
BREAKING: Congressman Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) joins the DOGE Caucus.
However, he wants to make FEMA its own independent agency, which is currently within the DHS.
“I believe that streamlining the government process and reducing ineffective government spending should not be a… pic.twitter.com/OreoH29z7t
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) December 3, 2024
Celebrate Trump’s Historic 2024 Victory with the Exclusive Trump 47th President Collection!
The agency, co-chaired by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, has been tasked with eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse across federal agencies.
“Today, I will join the Congressional DOGE Caucus, because I believe that streamlining government processes and reducing ineffective government spending should not be a partisan issue,” Moskowitz stated in a release shared by Punchbowl News.
Highlighting areas ripe for reform, he added, “Specifically, the Department of Homeland Security, while very necessary, has gotten too big. The Caucus should look at the bureaucracy that DHS has become and include recommendations to make Secret Service and FEMA independent federal agencies with a direct report to the White House.”
JARED MOSKOWITZ is the first Democrat to join the DOGE caucus. pic.twitter.com/PKu7JCUsz1
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) December 3, 2024
Moskowitz argued that consolidating 22 agencies under DHS has led to inefficiencies and expressed hope for bipartisan collaboration to address the issue.
His support underscores the growing popularity of Trump’s campaign promise to “clean house” and bring fiscal discipline to Washington.
The Department of Government Efficiency, a cornerstone of Trump’s second-term agenda, is tasked with identifying and eliminating government inefficiencies.
Elon Musk, known for his leadership of SpaceX and Tesla, has pledged to be so thorough in cutting waste that DOGE’s final act will be to “delete itself.”
Co-chair Vivek Ramaswamy has promised to focus on holding federal bureaucrats accountable and ensuring government operations align with the administration’s priorities.
The creation of DOGE has inspired the formation of a Congressional DOGE Caucus, launched in mid-November by Reps. Aaron Bean (R-FL) and Pete Sessions (R-TX).
The caucus aims to work closely with the new agency to tackle the nation’s ballooning $36 trillion debt.
“Our national debt has surpassed a staggering $36 trillion and should be a wakeup call for all Americans. We must take action to avoid diving headfirst off the cliff of fiscal ruin,” Bean said. “I’m thrilled with President-elect Trump’s appointment of Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead DOGE, but taking on Crazy Town will be no easy task—they will need partners.”
Sessions, who chairs the Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce, highlighted the scale of the problem. “According to a report from the GAO, there has been over $2.7 trillion in fraud and improper payments since 2003. This is an absolutely unacceptable misuse of taxpayer dollars,” he said. “Hardworking Americans deserve a government that works efficiently and effectively.”
Sessions vowed that the caucus would partner with DOGE to eliminate inefficiencies. “I am looking forward to working with Congressman Bean and serving as Co-Chair of the DOGE Caucus to continue my commitment in rooting out inefficiency in government,” he said.
Earlier this year, Bean introduced the “Cutting Unobligated Tumultuous Spending (CUTS) Act,” which sought to slash $95 billion from Green New Deal spending to offset funding for Ukraine’s war efforts.
While the bill did not pass, it set the tone for the aggressive fiscal reforms the DOGE Caucus aims to support.
Moskowitz’s decision to join the caucus marks a significant departure from the typical partisan divide in Washington, suggesting that the effort to streamline government could gain broader traction.
As DOGE begins its work in January, its collaboration with the caucus will likely play a key role in shaping the federal government’s approach to spending and accountability.
The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.
Read the full article here