Larson Blasts Ways and Means Committee Republicans for Continued Refusal to Act on ‘DOGE’ Data Meddling at Social Security

View Ranking Member Larson's full remarks here.

"Apparently, Elon Musk and 'DOGE' are above the law. They don't have to answer to Congress. They don't have to answer to this Committee. That's not how the American public feels, and that's not how the New York Times or the Washington post or CNN feels. And that's why they all have written in, editorialized about it, and yet still no action," said Larson. "Mr. Chairman, we need to have 'DOGE' in front of us. We need to have Elon Musk come before this committee and answer why it is. And if this Committee won't do it, maybe we need the press and the media and the general public to demand of Congress what this Committee and the United States Congress has not done. It is a dereliction of our duty and our responsibility to the citizens we're sworn to serve."

View a transcript of Ranking Member Larson's full opening statement below:

"We all know what's missing here. We all know what's going on. In February of this year, the Administration forced out the Acting Commissioner of Social Security because Michelle King wouldn't grant 'DOGE' access to SSA's database, which contained the personal information of every American.

"We then asked that Mr. Musk and 'DOGE' come before this Committee. It wasn't granted. So, we followed rule 13, clause seven, and asked for a Resolution of Inquiry. It was granted, but Mr. Musk never showed up, and the resolution was defeated. And then, in fact, you guys did away with that resolution - what the minority has in the ability to call people before this Committee to get essential answers about what they're doing to every single American looking at their personal data and information. Why do they need that? What did Mr. Musk have in mind with that? Was it just because of curiosity? Why is it being placed in an insecure cloud, where previously these were protected?

"It's why Michelle King stepped down from her position because she would not grant access by 'DOGE' to be able to go over every single person in this country's data and information. The new, hand-picked Acting Commissioner opened the floodgates and let 'DOGE' into the agency and into every American's personal information. As I said before, we introduced a Resolution of Inquiry, but that was turned down. Apparently, Elon Musk and 'DOGE' are above the law. They don't have to answer to Congress. They don't have to answer to this Committee. That's not how the American public feels, and that's not how the New York Times or the Washington Post or CNN feels. And that's why they all have written and editorialized about it, and yet, still no action. In March, we also introduced bill to stop 'DOGE' from accessing [the] American people's data at SSA and also stop this Administration from shuttering field offices that seniors and disabled workers [rely] on. Again, no action from the Committee. After the Supreme Court didn't stop their behavior, we wrote you, Mr. Chairman, requesting that this Committee hold an immediate markup on our bill to stop 'DOGE' from accessing SSA data.

"And again, we heard nothing. Fast forward to August. A whistleblower comes forward and says that 'DOGE' has copied the personal and confidential information of every single American to a vulnerable and insecure cloud. Mr. Chairman, we need to have 'DOGE' in front of us. We need to have Elon Musk come before this Committee and answer why it is. And if this Committee won't do it, maybe we need the press and the media and the general public to demand of Congress what this Committee and the United States Congress has not done. It is a dereliction of our duty and our responsibility to the citizens we're sworn to serve. You're going to have to answer to your citizens when they say to you, why did you let them pore over my personal data and records?"