[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6349366,"mediaKeyId","2238945-a4733c5d920ed7b384ab218269137722","parentId",2238945,"title","Iowa governor tells Oversight Committee her state 'did DOGE before DOGE' and saved $217 million","audioSeconds",264,"startMs",2965290,"endMs",3230000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2238945-a4733c5d920ed7b384ab218269137722&start=2965&end=3230","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2238945-a4733c5d920ed7b384ab218269137722/thumbnail_2965290.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6349366/Iowa-governor-tells-Oversight-Committee-her-state-did-DOGE-before-DOGE-and-saved-217-million","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6349366-9b22940ce61dfd9d649946f4db5e5ffb/orig.mp4?Expires=1773586969&Signature=ByGBu45lz45T-NcrpwxNpwaDtcFsB7XLMWcUgaGiuIfW~O10kwi-lZdeQga6MZxUZcsL2d~FcAwPxlX4p0O7q9NVheX8-HqHmnif8eEofbpq-94IKJ5o9uIvW~~UFOMdHh1zeCCHzl4hFaniQNLlboSReRZny5JqxV0VkItVCKttOpGr9AQOWHbW7NWBowHOrAoBXsciZQ7X7qQdIY7eVQloI9ZVeGLwjZ2f~ntdueh1Mi-ZYbPBFC8o3XWvAcb7lqrDJyw3vbCnAhXHHzDIztpUeW4HmkCQM5uAdhUS6Ya6EhYozbABO3Du-vOdlTExh7IZT3rlZspMi3nBP5pNTQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform","date","2025-02-05T00:00:00Z","article","Governor Kim Reynolds told the House Committee on Oversight and Reform that her statewide reorganization cut duplication, reduced the number of executive cabinet-level departments and sped the delivery of services — and urged federal lawmakers to consider similar reforms.

\"Iowa was doing Doge before Doge was a thing,\" Reynolds told the committee in opening testimony, using the hearing's shorthand for the White House Department of Government Efficiency effort. Reynolds said that when she took office the state's tax and administrative structures were complex and \"we were too big, too fragmented, and too inefficient.\"

Reynolds detailed steps taken in Iowa:
- Consolidation: She said her administration reduced the governor's cabinet from 37 members to 16.
- Agency alignment: She described merging public health and human services into a single Department of Health and Human Services and consolidating workforce and licensing functions that had been spread across multiple agencies.
- Regulatory reduction: Reynolds said her administration removed 1,200 regulations in year one and enacted a moratorium on new rulemaking while reviewing administrative code.
- Personnel and asset actions: The governor said the state eliminated 600 open positions (positions that had been vacant) and identified state-owned farmland for sale.
- Reported savings: Reynolds told the committee her reforms have saved \"$217,000,000 in just 18 months, surpassing our initial projections for the first four years.\" She said customer-service metrics also improved — for example, medical-license processing times dropped from about 65 days to 3 and unemployment case rulings moved from months to about 11 days.

How Reynolds framed the model: She said the reforms were a mix of executive actions and legislative cooperation. \"We brought our agencies in and their team and had them do an overall review of their operation asking the tough questions that really leads to accountability and change,\" Reynolds said. She told the panel she used an outside consultant for benchmarking and worked closely with the state legislature when statutory changes were required.

Witness context and exchange: Committee members from both parties questioned Reynolds about process and outcomes; Democrats pressed on potential impacts to services and on personnel actions, while Republicans cited Iowa as a playbook for federal reorganization. Reynolds repeatedly said her changes did not rely on large layoffs and that many changes were implemented without terminating current employees.

Why it matters: The governor's testimony provided a concrete state-level case study of reorganizing government operations to reduce duplication and administrative costs. Members supporting aggressive federal reform pointed to Iowa as a model to export; critics said state-level authority and conditions differ from federal law and stressed the need for congressional processes when agencies created by statute are changed at the national level.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Rightsizing Government","oneSentenceSummary","Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds testified to the House Oversight Committee about a multi-year state reorganization that consolidated agencies, reduced regulations and produced $217 million in savings in 18 months, which she presented as a model for federal reform.","taxTitle","Oversight and Reform: House Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1835,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6349371,"Lawmakers warn of conflicts and legal risks as Musk-led 'DOGE' gains access to federal systems",4728,1196520,5925000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2238945-a4733c5d920ed7b384ab218269137722&start=1196&end=5925","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2238945-a4733c5d920ed7b384ab218269137722/thumbnail_1196520.jpg","/articles/6349371/Lawmakers-warn-of-conflicts-and-legal-risks-as-Musk-led-DOGE-gains-access-to-federal-systems","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6349371-ad897dcc9bf836b38befdfb356a9beda/orig.mp4?Expires=1773586969&Signature=ndsoPn4dnfoKQVbF0N7rBg5s29WEic3Cuuco974Ru1YHw3Hpawnd4B9IMn5EXWHA~wpnJ0i4f9RF~uTT~3ygrwGjQWjBf6CmB-kpO1bIi7TIlC08H-tDMqrbJ7QLggbLnzhcAbetC5Y16McuQyfCcAdTKn25aI~jeXM63F9Bbky-BysE4YUl8y4dVn~KQaKBfd4uHkznHjo9xgSVjZ48CUf2RXGC9sls0-52dSi7CUd77eqKTJCEtxivWhlSr6wIQ7HUiEIWtdh7V1cLbV0~beLUhgNz~IDIgEoMRfcQAOQuZX2xP-47xrEON-PW9TRa95DV9Zj01Id9c9hebvXOVw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform used testimony and questioning during a lengthy hearing to press concerns about the White House's new Department of Government Efficiency, commonly abbreviated \"DOGE,\" and the role of Elon Musk and his private-sector team.

Representative Gerry Connolly, the panel's ranking member, warned that Musk and his allies are positioned to \"dismantle federal agencies\" and could threaten programs that many Americans rely on. Connolly said in his opening that \"This is the so called deep state that President Trump and his acolytes continue to demonize, and these are the programs and services sitting on Elon Musk's chopping block right now.\" That comment framed many of the Democrats' questions and motions for further oversight.

Expert witnesses told the committee they share some of those concerns. William G. Resch, an associate professor at the University of Southern California, said the concentration of authority in an unelected private actor invites conflicts. \"Whenever there is no security clearance, there is a corruption risk,\" Resch testified, noting the difficulty of auditing or limiting how private teams might use government data.

Key concerns raised in the hearing
- Data and systems access: Members cited multiple reports and communications suggesting Musk-affiliated staff have been granted temporary or ‘‘special government employee’’ roles that afford access to Treasury and other systems that manage federal payments. Lawmakers pressed whether those staffs have the security clearances or financial-disclosure safeguards typical for officials with such access.
- Conflicts of interest: Witnesses and members highlighted that Musk’s companies hold multiple federal contracts and that exclusive access to government data or decision-making could advantage private firms in bidding or shaping markets.
- Legal authority and procedure: Several witnesses noted that major reorganizations of agencies or moves to withhold congressionally appropriated funds require statutory authority or congressional action. William G. Resch said dismantling or consolidating agencies created by Congress could exceed executive authority and should come to Congress for formal votes.
- Operational risk: Committee members described near-term disruptions they say were caused by an administration hiring freeze and a short-lived attempt at a broad funding freeze; witnesses said those moves produced service interruptions and increased uncertainty among contractors and grantees.

Administration role and witnesses: Committee members heard testimony from Governor Kim Reynolds (Iowa) on state-level reforms and from Tom Schatz of Citizens Against Government Waste and William G. Resch, each testifying about efficiency, duplication and the risks of politicizing the civil service.

What members asked for: Several lawmakers and witnesses urged the committee to subpoena Musk and DOGE staff (a motion later tabled by the committee), to require security and financial disclosures for outside advisors with wide access to government systems, and to demand a written accounting of any data access or system changes made by private hands.

Why it matters: The committee's debate goes to the heart of congressional oversight powers and practical safeguards around federal data, payment systems and the nonpartisan civil service. Lawmakers who spoke in favor of aggressive oversight said the convergence of private contracts, access to federal systems and administration directives merits fast, formal congressional review.","During a House Oversight hearing, lawmakers and witnesses debated the administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), with Democrats warning that Elon Musk's advisers and rapid administrative moves pose conflicts of interest, security risks and potential legal overreach.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6349376,"House Oversight Committee tables subpoena for Elon Musk after roll-call vote",2376,1895561,4272000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2238945-a4733c5d920ed7b384ab218269137722&start=1895&end=4272","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2238945-a4733c5d920ed7b384ab218269137722/thumbnail_1895561.jpg","/articles/6349376/House-Oversight-Committee-tables-subpoena-for-Elon-Musk-after-roll-call-vote","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6349376-867067b818883982dcfac1cf239e619b/orig.mp4?Expires=1773586969&Signature=FvsM6SIM~f7T2dgLHp3iqsBh2VwwbEX~YIR1~2VT5TtY-dOD1jrgBpsIK44FPVNBxX5kVsF5EIlH5R8tFD-iCt50z3t8KqHgsWz3rxtLlVOeYRkC9K4hOSRarjBRAsDmk9MfBy5AGeI0uCUm5lBAZKNMt7lRrkPXj9t4GahtQ8J7MyIx9K-qhajBWCz6IKF3NQ3~0Kcl7o~deS5YotZPpKXyuYTxXyzZ~cnXnHGQJQTYD3s04MRBm2NODXQX6Zf0HKUGIUaxIs71aSByEgjMoJk7Lhde6Qgs02a2X20igvurANI7rTRAn8IB~9tNVhvo~v8JirpnEdq5~9SecLltkQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Committee on Oversight and Reform voted to table a motion to subpoena Elon Musk, blocking an immediate committee demand that the billionaire appear as a witness.

Representative Gerry Connolly, the committee’s ranking member, moved to subpoena Musk, saying the committee should question the private citizen because of Musk’s role in the administration’s Department of Government Efficiency effort. \"I move that the committee subpoena Elon Musk to come before it as a witness at the earliest possible moment,\" Connolly said during the hearing.

The committee then voted on a motion to table the subpoena. Dr. Don Fox (motion to table) moved to table; the motion was seconded. After the clerk called the roll, committee staff announced, \"On this vote, the ayes are 20, the nays are 19.\" The motion to table carried, leaving the subpoena in abeyance and halting immediate oversight questioning of Musk by the full committee.

Why it matters: The recorded tally — 20 ayes to 19 nays — signaled narrow support on the panel to avoid compelling testimony from an unaffiliated private citizen who has been given an unusual role in the White House reform effort. Republicans supporting the table argued the review and related activities should be handled through executive channels; Democrats argued Musk’s involvement in handling federal systems and data requires direct congressional oversight.

What happened in committee: After Connolly’s motion to issue a subpoena, members raised parliamentary points of order and moved to table the motion. The chair ordered a recorded roll call; the clerk later announced the final tally and the chair stated the committee would proceed based on that result. Representative Connolly and other Democrats voted in favor of the subpoena; many Republican members voted to table it. A recorded vote was requested and held according to committee procedure.

Committee context: The vote occurred early in a hearing focused on what some members called \"right-sizing\" federal government operations and on testimony by outside witnesses, including Governor Kim Reynolds of Iowa, Tom Schatz of Citizens Against Government Waste and William G. Resch of the University of Southern California. The panel debated whether the administration’s unconventional use of private-sector advisers — including Musk-associated teams — requires additional congressional oversight.

Votes at a glance
- Motion: \"Subpoena Elon Musk to come before the committee at the earliest possible moment.\" Moved by Representative Gerry Connolly (ranking member). Outcome: tabled. Recorded vote: ayes 20, nays 19. Notation: motion to subpoena was not adopted; the committee did not compel Musk to appear.

Next steps: Members opposing the tabled motion said they will continue to press for oversight, including calls for future subpoenas and additional hearings, while supporters of tabling said they preferred other oversight or executive follow-up.","A motion by the panel's Democrats to subpoena Elon Musk was tabled after a recorded roll-call vote, 20–19, ending immediate committee action to call the billionaire as a witness.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Iowa governor tells Oversight Committee her state 'did DOGE before DOGE' and saved $217 million

Lawmakers warn of conflicts and legal risks as Musk-led 'DOGE' gains access to federal systems

House Oversight Committee tables subpoena for Elon Musk after roll-call vote