Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)
An executive branch initiative launched in 2025 to identify and eliminate wasteful federal spending, duplicative programs, and bureaucratic inefficiency.
How It Works
DOGE was established by executive order in January 2025 with the stated goal of reducing federal spending by identifying waste, fraud, and inefficiency across all agencies. The initiative has proposed cuts to various programs, contractor workforce reductions, and consolidation of duplicative agencies. DOGE actions and their spending impacts are tracked on USASpending.gov and reported to Congress. The initiative has been controversial, with supporters citing the need to reduce a $35+ trillion national debt and critics arguing that some cuts affect essential services.
Related Terms
- Government Accountability Office (GAO) — The independent, nonpartisan agency that audits federal spending, investigates how taxpayer dollars are used, and reports findings to Congress.
- Discretionary Spending — Federal spending that Congress controls through annual appropriations — covering defense, education, transportation, and other agency budgets.
- Inspector General (IG) — An independent official within each federal agency who investigates fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement — reporting to both the agency head and Congress.
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About This Definition
This definition is part of the TaxDollarData Federal Spending Glossary — 31 terms explaining how the U.S. government spends taxpayer money. All definitions are written in plain language for taxpayers, journalists, contractors, and researchers.