Ernst: DOGE is Inevitable

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), chair of the Senate DOGE Caucus, took to the Senate floor to outline her $2 trillion plan to cut down federal spending, save taxpayer dollars, and downsize the government. By working hand in hand with the incoming Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Senator Ernst is taking action to create a more efficient, transparent, and accountable Washington.

Watch Senator Ernst's full remarks here.

Ernst's first legislative action in the new Congress was introducing a trio of bills to reform Washington by relocating federal agency headquarters and workers across the country and closer to the people they serve.

Ernst's full remarks:

"A winter storm shut down the nation's capital this week, but did anyone notice?

"Essential government employees showed up to do their jobs while the others enjoyed days off.

"My telework report revealed that just six percent of workers report in-person full-time, and these bureaucrats are doing anything but working - this is sadly just more business as usual.

"However, it's a fitting prelude to a much bigger storm headed this way that will sweep over this city and forever alter the way it operates.

"I am, of course, talking about the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

"Headed up by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, DOGE is putting Washington on notice:

"Henceforward every cent being spent will now be scrutinized;

"All regulations must be justified-and continually re-justified-using data and outcomes, not just ideology, and;

"The government works for the people, not the other way around.

"To support these efforts, I am honored to be chairing the Senate DOGE Caucus and working to downsize the government, which is why my colleagues, and I stand here united today.

"For that, I would like to thank Senator Lankford - a founding member of the caucus, author of his "Federal Fumbles," and a true hero to taxpayers - for organizing today's discussion.

"It's a rare occasion for this many senators to assemble on the Senate floor to call for spending cuts.

"In fact, since my fellow Iowans sent me to the Senate ten years ago to make the porkers squeal, it's been a very lonely fight.

"In this era of political polarization, Democrats and Republicans still come together in agreement over one issue: living high off the hog.

"When faced with proposals to trim the fat from Washington's budget, members of Congress from both parties act like Goldilocks.

"It's always too little or too big - and never just right.

"But the real "make-believe" of this fairy tale is that it's impossible to cut spending without causing pain.

"Most Americans aren't even benefitting in any meaningful way from the hundreds of billions of dollars hidden in the budget.

"In fact, Washington's out-of-control spending has been fanning the flames of inflation over the past four years, increasing everyday costs for families all across the country.

"There's no time to wait for DOGE to get to work because even being a lame duck isn't slowing down Biden's reckless spending.

"Biden's binge-buying bureaucrats are being ordered to work overtime-including weekends-to get billions of dollars out the door as quickly as possible before President-elect Trump takes office.

"At the same time, the outgoing administration is cutting collective bargaining deals with government employees unions, giving bureaucrats the right to stay home from work until, get this, 2029-conveniently after President Trump's term.

"If federal employees don't want to come back to work, you know what - DOGE and I will make that dream come true!

"My New Year's resolution is to put Washington back to work and on a diet.

"This week, I am reintroducing my bills to drain the swamp by relocating federal agencies and bureaucrats outside Washington.

"I am also putting forward a plan with 2 trillion dollars in potential savings, which I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record.

"My proposal includes:

"Selling off thousands of vacant and underutilized buildings;

"Auditing the IRS to fire the thousands of employees who owe tens of millions of dollars in unpaid taxes;

"Pulling the plug on Biden's billion dollar boondoggles for gravy trains that never leave the station and electric vehicle stations that aren't charging up anything but debt;

"Bagging the swag and propaganda promoting government programs and agencies at a cost of 1.5 billion dollars a year; and

"Changing the composition of coins so we stop losing money making money.

"In fact, there's no better example of the cost of government inefficiency.

"Washington spends three cents to produce a penny and 11 cents for a nickel.

"That makes no cents!

"A penny here, a nickel there, eventually these examples all add up-to millions, billions, and eventually trillions.

"The bottom line is that if you can't find waste in Washington, there can only be one reason: you didn't look.

"Well folks, I've spent the last decade looking while just about everyone else seems to have been looking the other way, until now.

"While this is a personal issue for me, it should not be a partisan issue.

"After all, every American benefits from a more efficient government and everyone loses when tax dollars are wasted.

"I have worked across the aisle on a number of issues to make Washington more transparent and accountable.

"So, I would invite anyone in this body, and everyone who may be watching at home who has ideas, to join this conversation and our movement - because DOGE is inevitable."

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