HR 2742119th CongressIn Committee

DOGE Accountability and Transparency Act

Introduced: Apr 8, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The DOGE Accountability and Transparency Act would create a statutory requirement for the Administrator of the Department of Government Efficiency Service (referred to as DOGE) to provide Congress with weekly reports about any action DOGE takes that affects any federal agency, along with the realized impacts of those actions. The goal is to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse by ensuring ongoing, detailed transparency about DOGE’s activities, including staffing changes, policy or physical reorganizations, cost savings, data access, and the actual benefits seen versus what was expected. The bill also requires an initial report within one week after enactment detailing DOGE activity from January 20, 2025 (the date of an executive order reorganizing the U.S. Digital Service into DOGE) up to enactment. In short, if enacted, DOGE would be subject to near-constant congressional scrutiny through weekly, comprehensive performance and impact reporting on its actions across all federal agencies.

Key Points

1Weekly reports to Congress: The Administrator of DOGE must provide a weekly report detailing actions DOGE has taken with respect to each federal agency and the cumulative impact of those actions.
2Detailed reporting elements: Each weekly report must cover statutory authorities for changes, staffing changes (hires, resignations, removals, eliminations), a description of each change (including within agency offices), cost-saving measures, policy changes, any physical relocations or office reorganizations, data access by DOGE (including who accessed it, why, and what was done with it), and both realized and expected benefits.
3Initial report required: Within one week of enactment, DOGE must submit a report covering all DOGE activity that occurred from January 20, 2025 (the executive order date cited in the findings) to the date of enactment.
4Definitions: The bill defines DOGE as the United States DOGE Service (also called the Department of Government Efficiency) and defines “federal agency” as the term used for agencies under 5 U.S.C. 551.
5Foundational rationale: The bill’s findings emphasize Congress’s oversight role, the need for transparency in executive actions, and concerns about DOGE’s staffing reductions and reorganizations, arguing that such actions should be based on transparent analysis rather than personal or political agendas.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Congress and the DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency Service): The act would create a formal, ongoing reporting burden and oversight mechanism, affecting how DOGE operates and documents its actions.Secondary group/area affected- Federal agencies and their employees: Agencies would be affected by the ongoing reporting requirements (including changes to staffing, office structures, and policies), and employees whose data DOGE may access would be subject to increased accountability and scrutiny.Additional impacts- Data privacy and security: The requirement to report on data accessed by DOGE, by whom, for what purpose, and what was done with the data raises privacy and data protection considerations for employees and possibly citizens.- Administrative and budgetary burden: Regular, detailed reporting could impose administrative workload on DOGE and federal agencies, potentially affecting agency operations and resource allocation.- Oversight culture and transparency: The bill aims to foster a more transparent environment around agency reorganizations, cost-saving measures, and policy changes, which could influence decision-making processes and public trust.- Legal and constitutional considerations: The bill frames congressional oversight and data reporting within a statutory mandate, reinforcing the balance of power between Congress and the executive branch.

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