Larson, Ways and Means Democrats Introduce Resolution of Inquiry Probing ‘DOGE’ Election Interference Scheme at Social Security

"Last month's bombshell court filing from Trump's own Department of Justice revealed what we already suspected - the data of every single American is at risk, and it's even being used to potentially undermine our elections," said Larson. "This is just one part of Donald Trump's plan to prevent a free and fair election in November, because he knows his cost-raising policies and lawless actions will be rejected by the American people. While our Republican colleagues refuse to utter even a word, our priority is safeguarding our democracy, your privacy, and Americans' earned benefits. I am proud to introduce this Resolution of Inquiry with my colleagues today to demand accountability from the Trump Administration and Elon Musk's 'DOGE' for this data breach. We will never give up this fight."

"Ways and Means Democrats know that privacy is next to liberty in America. For a year, we've warned about what DOGE's meddling could cause, and unfortunately, we continue to learn more information that confirms exactly what we feared," said Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Neal. "Social Security Subcommittee Ranking Member John Larson has been the fighter the people need in this moment, to get answers for Americans and to safeguard their most sensitive data. While Republicans are sure to continue their silence, we won't rest until accountability comes and the sacred promise of Social Security is free from Trump's sabotage."

"The Trump Administration signed an agreement to share Americans' personal data with a group whose stated goal was to overturn election results. That should stop everyone cold," said Committee on House Administration Ranking Member Joe Morelle. "Social Security data should not be used by President Trump in a desperate effort to cling to power. Congressman Larson warned us about this, and he was right. This Administration is abusing Americans' most sensitive information to violate Americans' most precious right: the right to vote."

On Monday, Democracy Forwardled a coalition of retirees and labor unions, including AFSCME, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and the Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA), asking the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland to compel discovery and depositions into 'DOGE's illegal use of Social Security records.

"The government's misstatements, misrepresentations, and omissions to the court recently revealed are enormously significant to our clients' case and to all Americans, who should be concerned about this administration's misuse of their private data," said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. "Last spring, our clients sued the Social Security Administration (SSA) amidst concerning reports that DOGE employees were accessing sensitive, personal SSA data. In its court filings last year, the government denied that DOGE was accessing SSA data. Yet, now we know that was not true. According to the government's own belated admissions filed with the court recently, DOGE staff accessed SSA data, exfiltrated the data to third parties, and a DOGE employee entered a 'voter data agreement' with an organization with the stated claim 'to find evidence of voter fraud and to overturn election results in certain states.' We are committed to getting to the bottom of the facts, protecting our client's data privacy, and using all legal tools available to pursue accountability and protect our democracy."

"The Department of Justice filings this year proved what we always suspected: that the Trump Administration, in its DOGE led effort break the Social Security Administration, put the sensitive personal data of far too many Americans at risk," said Fedrick Ingram, AFT Secretary Treasurer. "Whether it was sharing this data with extremist groups pushing lies about the 2020 election or sharing it over insecure servers, these abuses demand accountability. We have fought to protect Americans' data in court, and we are proud to stand with Reps. Neal, Larson and so many of their colleagues as they work to ensure this never happens again and hold those responsible to account."

"Nearly a year after the Alliance went to court over serious concerns that millions of Americans' sensitive Social Security data was being mishandled, the Department of Justice has confirmed that those warnings were justified," said Richard Fiesta, executive director of the Alliance for Retired Americans. "We thank Congressman Larson for introducing this legislation to determine what happened, who was responsible, and what safeguards are needed to ensure Social Security data is not mishandled or misused in the future. This was not a simple error-it was a grave breach of public trust, and those responsible must be held accountable. We urge all members of Congress to support this resolution."

"The personal data of Social Security beneficiaries should be protected with the highest level of security, not shared in secret deals that put the privacy of our elderly and disabled at risk. We need a thorough, transparent investigation into DOGE's actions," said Diana Lyles, Maryland AFSCME Retirees Chapter 1 member. "Retirees and working people deserve to know that their information is safe, that those who abuse it will be held accountable, and that Social Security will remain an essential lifeline to those in retirement."

Republicans in Congress have remained silent about the election interference scheme that was uncovered at the Social Security Administration, refusing to hold hearings on 'DOGE' misuse of confidential data, and rejecting Ranking Member Larson's call for a markup and vote on his Protecting Americans' Social Security Data Act, which would block political appointees and special government employees like 'DOGE' from accessing data at Social Security - which would have prevented this data breach.

"The U.S. Constitution gives the authority to administer elections to the states, subject to oversight directed by Congress, not the president," said Sejal Jhaveri, senior legal counsel at Campaign Legal Center. "Yet, over the past year, we've seen an unprecedented consolidation of voter data within the executive branch, and a corresponding misuse of that data to challenge voters' eligibility to participate in elections. Campaign Legal Center supports congressional efforts to conduct meaningful oversight and ask hard questions about what the current administration is doing with Americans' information. By requiring this transparency, Congress can fulfill its role as a co-equal branch of government and provide a check on the executive branch, while helping make sure voters' data is being used as intended and not in aid of undermining our elections."

Last month, Ranking Members Larson and Neal joined Committee on House Administration Ranking Member Joe Morelle (NY-25) and Oversight and Accountability Ranking Member Robert Garcia (CA-42) to announce a sweeping effort by House Democrats to probe the 'DOGE' data theft schemeand call for a criminal investigation and charges. Larson's Resolution of Inquiry is the next step in their oversight efforts.

The Resolution of Inquiry gives President Trump 14 days to provide all documents and copies, records, audio recordings, memorandum, and more to the House of Representatives relating to the following:

• Efforts by DOGE, Elon Musk and his team to share personally identifiable information at SSA with a political advocacy group seeking to analyze State voter rolls or overturn election results,

• Efforts to share personally identifiable information at SSA with the Department of Homeland Security;

• Use of unauthorized third-party servers by DOGE to share highly sensitive Social Security data files; and

• Access to and use of personally identifiable information at SSA while court orders blocking DOGE access were in effect.

A one-pager on the Resolution of Inquiry is available HERE.

Full text of the Resolution of Inquiry is available HERE.