As the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, referred to as DOGE, enacts significant budget cuts within the federal government, Republican legislators express concerns about the potential repercussions for employment and industries in their respective states.
However, only a handful are openly criticizing President Trump or DOGE’s head, Elon Musk, opting instead for a more muted approach. The raised concerns highlight the ongoing conflict between government downsizing and local interests.
Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska, mentioned that numerous constituents have reached out to her regarding the federal workforce cuts in her state, leading her to organize a tele town hall that attracted over 1,000 attendees on Wednesday night.
Alaska is home to one of the nation’s highest per capita federal workforces, with public land management being a critical area of focus. Murkowski reported that the issues discussed during the town hall included wildland fire preparedness, national park staffing, and the harsh treatment of federal employees.
“The sudden job terminations we’ve witnessed have been quite damaging,” she commented, noting that she raised her concerns with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. “The issue is that all terminated employees will need to reapply, requiring them to return to usa.gov and navigate a lengthy application process. With parks set to reopen in just a couple of months, I’m genuinely worried.” Furthermore, she indicated that cuts to the Bureau of Land Management could delay approvals for President Trump’s energy projects.
Murkowski affirmed her commitment to eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in government, stating, “There’s an appropriate method for doing this, one that respects the law and existing regulations… particularly when it concerns employees; there is a right way and a less favorable way to treat them.”
Senator Susan Collins, a moderate Republican from Maine, echoed similar apprehensions regarding the implications for national parks in her state as well as biomedical research.
“Many of these layoffs seem to be arbitrary,” she said. “We should delay such sweeping cuts until Cabinet members have been confirmed and can thoroughly assess the needs of their agencies. The dismissal of workers involved in avian flu research and those responsible for nuclear safety indicates the necessity for a more careful strategy.”
Earlier this month, as the administration began to dismantle USAID, Kansas Republican Senator Jerry Moran urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to “distribute the $340 million in American-grown food currently stuck in U.S. ports to those who need it most.”
Moran, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, mentioned that he had shared his concerns with the White House. “U.S. food aid is vital for feeding the hungry, enhancing our national security, and serving as a crucial market for our farmers, particularly during low commodity prices,” he stated on X. He later confirmed that the State Department approved his request to distribute the delayed food aid.
Kansas Republican Senator Roger Marshall collaborated with Moran to transfer USAID’s Food for Peace program — significant for Kansas farmers — under the Department of Agriculture’s oversight.
“To me, it’s all about saving taxpayer dollars, so I fully support temporary pauses in these programs,” Marshall told CBS News. “We need to reduce the number of our agencies; we have over 400 in the federal government, employing more than 2 million people outside of military personnel. It’s time for consolidation.”
Lawmakers have also paid attention to layoffs occurring at the National Institutes of Health. “Every dollar of taxpayer money should be utilized in an efficient and accountable manner — without exception,” said Alabama Senator Katie Britt to AL.com. “While the administration strives for this goal at NIH, a smart and targeted approach is essential to ensure that groundbreaking research at outstanding institutions, such as those in Alabama, is not hindered.”
The majority of Republicans continue to support DOGE’s objectives. North Carolina GOP Senator Thom Tillis stated he’s working to ensure that FEMA and disaster assistance services remain intact in his state, which is recovering from severe storms. He expressed general approval of the overall approach.
“I genuinely believe they are pursuing this path due to frustration over obtaining answers to valid inquiries about efficiency. Halting everything forces people to justify their investments on exceptional cases,” Tillis remarked. “I realize this is disruptive, but they must possess the capability to reinstate essential operations.”
Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin also backed the administration’s cost-cutting measures, identifying the nation’s growing debt as a crucial national security issue that necessitates “difficult choices.”
“Naturally, members will feel perturbed by cuts occurring close to home,” Mullin stated to CBS News. “Consider what’s happened to the FAA; in Oklahoma City, our air traffic controller training facility was affected, which is concerning. Nonetheless, we are accountable to taxpayers and the American public to manage our financial responsibilities better.”
Senator Rick Scott from Florida asserted that he does not believe Musk and the DOGE team are acting too swiftly.
“This is analogous to what I did as governor and in my business life,” Scott explained. “You constantly reevaluate how to improve your spending. This is precisely what they should be doing, and it’s what everyone ought to be doing. Everyone should scrutinize the budget and consider, ‘How can we save money?'”
