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Senate Minority Leader Calls for Transparency on DOGE’s Savings Claims

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is seeking clarity regarding the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) assertions of savings, emphasizing the need for accountability from both DOGE and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). In a recent letter, Schumer accused these agencies of “stubbornly refus[ing] to release any information” related to at least one canceled contract that purportedly led to significant federal savings.

In his correspondence to OPM Director Charles Ezell, Schumer expressed concern over the lack of cooperation from the agencies involved. “The public has a right to access documents concerning DOGE’s reported savings,” he stated, asserting that access to these documents is essential to confirm the legitimacy of the claimed savings and their benefits to taxpayers.

DOGE, under the leadership of tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, has created a “Wall of Receipts” that lists nearly 8,500 canceled government contracts, claiming that these cancellations have contributed to an overall savings of $30 billion.

One particular claim highlighted by Schumer involves alleged savings of over $318 million from the cancellation of a bid request for a contract to “provide human resources” through OPM. However, OPM has not provided any documentation to verify that it was indeed seeking proposals for such a contract, and records of this contract do not appear in federal solicitation databases, as reported by The New York Times.

Schumer contended that the absence of clear documentation and the denial of access to relevant records by OPM prevent the public from ascertaining whether the cancellation of this particular proposal resulted in the savings claimed by DOGE. “The public is left in the dark as to whether these savings are based on real, verifiable data,” he noted.

The senator further remarked that “This lack of transparency only raises further questions about the accuracy of DOGE’s reported savings and the effectiveness of its cost-saving measures.”

President Trump has placed significant responsibility on Musk and his DOGE team to identify ways to substantially lower federal expenditures by reducing waste, fraud, and abuse. However, this initiative has sparked skepticism among Democrats and other critics who question its overall effectiveness and the potential negative impact on vital government services.

At this time, OPM has not provided a response regarding the allegations or the request for information.

Source
thehill.com