Democrats dare Republicans to block bill that would bring DOGE to heel

Two House Democrats are introducing legislation that would force Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency to report directly to Congress about its decisions and internal operations—including any overhauls or dismantling of federal agencies.

The proposed DOGE Accountability and Transparency Act, introduced by Democratic Reps. Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts and Brad Schneider of Illinois, would require DOGE to submit to Congress weekly “impact reports,” including building relocations or renovations, budget cuts, data access, the legal basis for all actions, policy changes, and staff firings.

Of course, in a GOP-controlled House with MAGA loyalist Mike Johnson as speaker, the bill isn’t likely to move. But Democrats may be laying a political trap, since the GOP loves to brag about transparency—until it’s time to practice it. 

Voting down this bill would make one thing clear: Republicans care more about shielding President Donald Trump and Musk than informing the public on how DOGE is reshaping the government.

The move seems to be part of a broader Democratic effort to push back harder against Trump amid mounting pressure from their base. A February Blueprint survey found that 40% of voters think Democrats have “no strategy at all” to respond to Trump, while only 10% say they have a successful one. That criticism seems to be landing.

Recently, Democrats have stepped up their messaging, delivering marathon floor speeches and helping organize peaceful protests against Musk and Trump. Some lawmakers are using every opportunity—including congressional committee hearings—to spotlight the damage caused by Trump’s policies, like his escalating trade war. This new legislation fits 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 told 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.

Since the inception of DOGE, it has done little beyond issuing vague boasts about saving taxpayers money—claims that don’t stand up to scrutiny. In fact, DOGE has already lied about its savings and made it more difficult to verify what the agency is actually doing.

That’s especially troubling given the scope of the damage it’s caused. DOGE has slashed—or announced plans to slash—funding for cancer research, food aid, Social Security, veterans’ health care, and more. And as the economy teeters on the edge of a recession, Musk has threatened to eliminate thousands of more federal jobs.

It might actually be smart for Republicans to distance themselves from Musk, whose approval ratings have taken a nosedive since he started at DOGE. According to an April Morning Consult survey, Musk’s unfavorability has jumped from 45% in November to 54%. His favorability, meanwhile, has remained flat—42% then and 40% now.

And it also makes sense that Democrats are tying Musk to the GOP ahead of what’s expected to be a brutal 2026 midterm cycle. Morning Consult found that Musk is almost as unpopular among Democrats as Trump: Just 10% of Democrats view Musk favorably—compared to 11% for Trump—while 83% and 86%, respectively, hold unfavorable views.

Even among Republicans, Musk is less popular than Trump—though that doesn’t make the bill to hold him accountable any more likely to pass. Still, it sends a clear message that Democrats are finally going on offense.

And if the GOP blocks this push for accountability, Democrats may have a sharp new campaign message heading into 2026: Democrats tried to stop the chaos, and Republicans ran from it.

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