Senate Conservatives Prepare to Slash Government Spending as New 'DOGE' Caucus is Formed

U.S. Capitol

A new Senate caucus, led by Iowa Senator Joni Ernst (R), aims to collaborate with the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to reduce unnecessary government spending.

The DOGE Senate caucus was founded late last week and will identify and eliminate wasteful government activities.

Senator Ernst announced the DOGE caucus’ creation via press release, claiming it will make Washington “squeal by exposing trillions in waste, fraud, and abuse.”

“The tables are finally turning, the knives are out, and waste is on the chopping block,” continued Ernst. “As President Trump, Elon Musk, and Vivek Ramaswamy prepare to take action, the Senate DOGE Caucus is ready to carry out critical oversight in Congress and use our legislative force to fight against the entrenched bureaucracy, trim the fat, and get Washington back to work for Americans.”

The DOGE caucus also includes a House of Representatives arm, as Representatives Aaron Bean (R-FL) and Pete Sessions (R-TX) were named as co-chairs of the DOGE caucus in the House of Representatives.

Ernst is also working with Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rick Scott (R-Fla.). Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), and James Lankford (R-Okla.) in founding the Senate DOGE Caucus.

Senator Scott outlined his top priorities within the DOGE caucus as he stated he will “cut the wasteful spending. Cut burdensome regulation. Unleash America’s economy.”

The Executive DOGE will be led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy and, while it has yet to be officially formed, has already begun presenting its plans for reducing capricious government spending via X.

One of DOGE’s priorities will be balancing the federal budget.

“In FY 2023, the U.S. Government spent $6.16. trillion while only bringing in $4.47 trillion,” outlined DOGE’s X account. “The last budget surplus was in 2001.This trend must be reversed, and we must balance the budget.”

While some have claimed DOGE will be unable to execute its ambitious government spending reductions, conservative control of all three branches of government grants the new department an enviable set-up.

Daniel Molina

Daniel Molina is a managing editor and legislative correspondent with a decade of experience covering the evolving political landscape of the American South and Southwest.