Austin News

U.S. Senator John Cornyn addressed the Senate floor today, discussing the objectives of President-elect Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). As a founding member of the Senate DOGE Caucus, Cornyn highlighted several key priorities aimed at reducing federal spending.

Cornyn expressed enthusiasm about "President Trump's partnership with my fellow Texan, Elon Musk, who will help lead the newly created Department of Government Efficiency." He pointed out that "our nation’s debt has skyrocketed to more than $36 trillion," emphasizing the importance of not only how much is spent but also where it is allocated.

The senator believes that DOGE can play a crucial role in identifying waste and inefficiency within government operations. He stated, "[DOGE] can highlight ways we can cut waste and inefficiency, and whether it’s the President through executive order, whether it’s Congress through Congressional Review Acts, or through other legislation, we can join them in cutting our spending."

Cornyn proposed specific measures to reduce expenses. "Simply preventing the implementation of President Biden’s rule limiting vehicle carbon emissions—effectively an electric vehicle mandate—would save $150 billion," he said. Additionally, he suggested eliminating COVID-era work policies for federal employees as another method to curb unnecessary spending. According to Cornyn, these policies have resulted in extended wait times for public services due to remote work arrangements.

He emphasized accountability for federal employees by stating, "If federal employees don’t want to show up for work, then American taxpayers should not have to pay them."

Looking ahead, Cornyn expressed his commitment to collaborating with the DOGE Committee: “I look forward to working with the DOGE Committee [on] all of our efforts to identify and eliminate areas of government waste and rein in reckless and wasteful spending.”