Marjorie Taylor Greene vows to cut waste in first DOGE subcommittee hearing

House of Representatives members on Wednesday convened the first hearing for the bipartisan subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency, commonly known as DOGE. Subcommittee chairwoman Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., opened the hearing by highlighting America’s $36 trillion national debt that’s on track to accrue $1 trillion in interest alone next year. This debt is an issue for every American regardless of his or her party and the subcommittee should not be a stage for political theater or partisan attacks, she said.

Ranking member Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., spoke after Greene and shared her intention to investigate the more than $236 billion in improper payments made annually by the government. She then accused President Donald Trump and special government employee Elon Musk of illegally dismantling the federal government by closing down agencies and withholding funding. Stansbury questioned the president’s intentions for rooting out fraud by noting his recent dismissal of several inspectors general whom she said were previously responsible for calling out departmental fraud. She then called on Musk to testify under oath to the subcommittee, citing the need for democratic transparency. The American people want to know what Musk is up to, she said.

What was discussed? The committee’s week will focus on improper federal payments in areas like Medicaid and Medicare, Greene said in her opening statement. Members heard about two hours of testimony from four expert witnesses, including a former FBI special agent and a data analytics CEO.

What’s next? Greene planned to release a report on the committee’s initial findings and proposed solutions within the next few days, she told media after the hearing. The committee’s next two hearings would investigate the U.S. Agency for International Development and media outlets NPR and PBS, Greene added.

Dig deeper: Read Carolina Lumetta’s report for more insight on DOGE targeting USAID.