A new piece of legislation in Congress represents yet another uphill battle for Democrats aiming to rein in DOGE.
The aptly named “Bad DOGE Act” — inspired by the viral dog meme that ultimately led to the establishment of a governmental body — seeks to rein in the government’s efficiency agency for allegedly overstepping its boundaries, while also calling for enhanced data protection measures and verification of Elon Musk’s ‘special government employee’ status.
“This bill aims to tackle the misuse of power, illegal activities, and the overt violations of our Constitution that are currently being perpetrated by Elon Musk and DOGE,” said freshman Democratic Rep. Dave Min regarding the legislation he plans to present on MSNBC’s “Way Too Early.”
The executive order from the White House that established DOGE authorizes it to carry out a data modernization project, which Min argues it has exceeded by conducting federal dismissals and attempting to shut down entire agencies without Congressional approval.
A significant factor allowing DOGE to operate behind the curtain stems from a legal strategy employed by the White House that protects the agency from FOIA and other transparency requirements: by placing the initiative under the existing Digital Service within the Executive Office of the President, it becomes subject to the Presidential Records Act, yet remains immune to FOIA requests.
Given that Democrats are in the minority in both legislative chambers and with the GOP firmly backing Musk’s initiative, the bill stands little chance of being enacted.
Recognizing the current landscape, Min expresses hope that the initiative will ignite discussions with his colleagues across the aisle.
“I’m optimistic that we can engage some Republicans in supporting this bill,” he remarked, alluding to the slim majority the GOP holds in the House, adding that he wishes they would remember “the oath we all took upon entering office…It doesn’t reference Donald Trump or any president, but rather it centers on the Constitution of the United States.”
