DOGE should identify efficiencies, not just cuts

The national debt continues to grow at an exponential rate, and with unified Republican control of the federal government, we have an opportunity to rethink how we manage taxpayer dollars. Spending more than we take in has become the status quo in Washington D.C., and regardless of which party is in power, reforms to this unsustainable practice have continuously been punted in favor of bloating the national debt.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), backed by the authority of an executive order, has been tasked with finding areas in the federal government where taxpayer funds have been wasted, abused, and seriously mismanaged. As a fiscal conservative and business owner, I support the effort to get our fiscal house in order. As Congress waits to receive recommendations on how we can rein in spending, I want DOGE to also identify efficiencies in the federal government and how we can use taxpayer dollars to build on what is working for Americans.

Bureaucracy and red tape hinder the ability of government to deliver timely results for constituents in need. While reining in spending across agencies is the goal, it is also vital to root out inefficient practices and policies that waste funds that could otherwise be used more effectively. Reducing spending without implementing an effective strategy to recalibrate can put us in a situation where resources continue to go to waste.

When Congress appropriates funds to federal agencies, it does so to specific programs and services, but it is the agencies’ task to manage that funding to best serve the public. That is why it is vital that an entity like DOGE work closely with Congress and not default to a one-size-fits all sledgehammer approach across the agencies. It is incumbent on Congress to enact reductions in spending, and DOGE should consult with Congress now to ensure an effective process. I take my role on the Appropriations Committee seriously and will be working to reduce spending on inefficient programs while preserving those that positively impact my constituents.

A prime example is my effort to move the Food for Peace program from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). With the evident wasteful spending identified in USAID, relocating a successful program like Food for Peace not only sustains an effort that supports world hunger and American farmers, but allows a commodity focused agency with a comprehensive understanding of foreign markets to responsibly manage the program.

Another great example is my effort to add the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to review purchases of land by foreign entities with potential ties to our adversaries. Rather than creating a new office at CFIUS to execute this, tasking USDA and their direct ties to farmers with the responsibility is a far more effective use of federal resources.

As we await recommendations from the agencies on ways to rein in spending, I will be working with my colleagues in Congress to implement reforms and efficiencies, not just reductions. I believe we can all agree that a $36 trillion national debt is unsustainable, and our grandchildren’s grandchildren will be paying the price if we do not act immediately.