Two Home Democrats are introducing laws that will power Elon Musk’s so-called Division of Authorities Effectivity to report on to Congress about its selections and inside operations—together with any overhauls or dismantling of federal companies.
The proposed DOGE Accountability and Transparency Act, launched by Democratic Reps. Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts and Brad Schneider of Illinois, would require DOGE to undergo Congress weekly “impact reports,” together with constructing relocations or renovations, finances cuts, knowledge entry, the authorized foundation for all actions, coverage adjustments, and workers firings.
In fact, in a GOP-controlled Home with MAGA loyalist Mike Johnson as speaker, the invoice isn’t more likely to transfer. However Democrats could also be laying a political lure, because the GOP likes to brag about transparency—till it’s time to observe it.
Voting down this invoice would make one factor clear: Republicans care extra about shielding President Donald Trump and Musk than informing the general public on how DOGE is reshaping the federal government.
The transfer appears to be a part of a broader Democratic effort to push again more durable towards Trump amid mounting strain from their base. A February Blueprint survey discovered that 40% of voters assume Democrats have “no strategy at all” to reply to Trump, whereas solely 10% say they’ve a profitable one. That criticism appears to be touchdown.
Lately, Democrats have stepped up their messaging, delivering marathon ground speeches and serving to manage peaceable protests towards Musk and Trump. Some lawmakers are utilizing each alternative—together with congressional committee hearings—to highlight the injury brought on by Trump’s insurance policies, like his escalating commerce conflict. This new laws suits neatly into that offensive.
“We should not allow Elon Musk to recklessly take a chainsaw to our federal government; he must answer to Congress and provide real, regular updates on DOGE’s actions,” Schneider informed Axios.
“We cannot let President Trump’s version of ‘Wreck-it-Ralph’ distract us while Elon Musk continues to gut agencies that are responsible for providing American families with essential needs and services,” Lynch added.
Because the inception of DOGE, it has executed little past issuing imprecise boasts about saving taxpayers cash—claims that don’t stand as much as scrutiny. In reality, DOGE has already lied about its financial savings and made it tougher to confirm what the company is definitely doing.
That’s particularly troubling given the scope of the injury it’s precipitated. DOGE has slashed—or introduced plans to slash—funding for most cancers analysis, meals support, Social Safety, veterans’ well being care, and extra. And because the financial system teeters on the fringe of a recession, Musk has threatened to get rid of 1000’s of extra federal jobs.
It would really be good for Republicans to distance themselves from Musk, whose approval rankings have taken a nosedive since he began at DOGE. In keeping with an April Morning Seek the advice of survey, Musk’s unfavorability has jumped from 45% in November to 54%. His favorability, in the meantime, has remained flat—42% then and 40% now.
And it additionally is sensible that Democrats are tying Musk to the GOP forward of what’s anticipated to be a brutal 2026 midterm cycle. Morning Seek the advice of discovered that Musk is sort of as unpopular amongst Democrats as Trump: Simply 10% of Democrats view Musk favorably—in comparison with 11% for Trump—whereas 83% and 86%, respectively, maintain unfavorable views.
Even amongst Republicans, Musk is much less standard than Trump—although that doesn’t make the invoice to carry him accountable any extra more likely to move. Nonetheless, it sends a transparent message that Democrats are lastly occurring offense.
And if the GOP blocks this push for accountability, Democrats might have a pointy new marketing campaign message heading into 2026: Democrats tried to cease the chaos, and Republicans ran from it.
