A Republican lawmaker has introduced a new congressional caucus designed to collaborate closely with President-elect Trump’s forthcoming Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Rep. Aaron Bean (R-Fla.) announced that he sent a “Dear Colleague” letter late Tuesday night, inviting other lawmakers to join the caucus. This approach is a customary practice for members seeking support and co-sponsors for legislation. “Taking on Crazytown is no easy task,” Bean said. Thus far, Reps. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey and Ralph Norman of South Carolina have joined the caucus.
Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas also filed to join as a caucus co-chair, Fox News reported. “Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will need partners in Congress to accomplish many of the cuts necessary to rein in the unelected bureaucrats who have had unchecked power for far too long,” said Bean, adding that the national debt’s $36 trillion level. “should be a wakeup call for all Americans.” He noted further: “We must take action to avoid diving headfirst off the cliff of fiscal ruin… Our DOGE Caucus, will work closely with the Department of Government Efficiency to help rein in reckless spending and stop the abuse of taxpayer dollars.”
Earlier this month, President-elect Trump appointed Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a project Musk has actively promoted while encouraging civilian involvement. Trump stated last week that he envisions DOGE as the “Manhattan Project of our time,” drawing a parallel to J. Robert Oppenheimer’s groundbreaking and secretive work on the atomic bomb during World War II. “Republican politicians have dreamed about the objectives of ‘DOGE’ for a very long time,” Trump said.
In his letter to colleagues, Bean expressed concern over the $6 billion per day that the U.S. has borrowed during the Biden-Harris administration. He also noted that interest on the debt now exceeds the entire budget of the nation’s Defense Department. “Republicans must live up to our principle of fiscal responsibility by reining in the spending that is driving both inflation and our unsustainable debt. The DOGE Caucus will bring together members from across our conference who are ready to rein-in unelected bureaucrats and end the over-regulation that has crippled American Main Street.” Continuing, he said: “When Republicans stick together, we win. Join us in reclaiming our country and Making America Great Again.”
Shortly after Rep. Bean’s solicitation letter was circulated, a spokesperson for his office confirmed that they are still waiting for other lawmakers to join the initiative. Meanwhile, Elon Musk continued highlighting examples of government waste he aims to tackle with the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). On X, formerly Twitter, Musk retweeted a Washington Post headline reading “New report estimates U.S. fraud losses exceed $233 billion annually,” adding the caption, “Drop the DOGE hammer.” Trump recently said Musk and Ramaswamy’s work will help the next generation have a solvent future.
Drop the @DOGE hammer ? https://t.co/0D21Ueqafl
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 19, 2024
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.