House Republicans Move to Codify Musk-Led DOGE Cuts, Facing Divided Congress

Washington, D.C. — May 27, 2025 — A coalition of House Republicans, spearheaded by Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), has introduced new legislation to formally codify the actions of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a Trump administration initiative led by Elon Musk and tasked with slashing federal spending and rooting out waste. The bill seeks to establish DOGE’s authority in federal law, create a formal reporting structure to the presidential Cabinet, and require regular updates to Congress on its cost-cutting efforts.

Key Details of the Legislation

• The bill, co-sponsored by Reps. Aaron Bean (R-Fla.), Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), Barry Moore (R-Ala.), and Michael Rulli (R-Ohio), would cement DOGE’s role in the federal bureaucracy, building on President Trump’s executive order mandating Cabinet coordination with DOGE for efficiency measures.
• Supporters argue that codification would shield DOGE’s work from legal challenges and ensure congressional oversight, particularly as Democratic attorneys general pursue lawsuits demanding DOGE records.
• Rep. Mills highlighted DOGE’s reported $115 billion in savings, including the cancellation of over 100 DEI contracts and other controversial expenditures, as evidence of its impact. “The American taxpayer deserves transparency on this kind of wasteful spending,” Mills stated.

Congressional Resistance and Political Tensions

Despite support among House Republicans, the push faces significant headwinds in Congress:

• Senate Republicans remain divided. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) questioned whether DOGE’s cuts should be prioritized given limited legislative time, while Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), chair of the Appropriations Committee, warned against cuts to programs like global women’s health and PEPFAR, emphasizing Congress’s constitutional power over federal spending.
• Broader skepticism exists about the permanence of DOGE’s savings, most of which have been enacted via executive action and could be reversed absent legislative backing. “The cuts won’t be real or lasting unless Congress votes on it,” said Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.).
• Some House Republicans have also joined bipartisan efforts to address concerns over DOGE’s mass firings of federal workers, reflecting the political complexity of the initiative.

Political Fallout and Future Prospects

• Florida Governor Ron DeSantis blasted House Republicans for what he called a “betrayal” in failing to codify DOGE’s spending cuts, underscoring the issue’s salience among conservative voters.
• House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and other GOP leaders have publicly committed to enshrining as many DOGE cuts as possible into law but face procedural hurdles, including Senate rules that limit the scope of spending cuts in reconciliation bills.
• The bill’s fate remains uncertain as Congress juggles a crowded legislative agenda, with some Republicans concerned that focusing on DOGE could distract from efforts to extend Trump-era tax cuts and other priorities.

Outlook

While proponents like Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) and Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) argue that codifying DOGE would cement Trump’s legacy of fiscal reform, the legislative path forward is fraught with internal GOP divisions, Democratic opposition, and procedural obstacles. As Congress debates the future of DOGE, the broader battle over the direction of federal spending and executive authority continues to intensify.