A Virginia congressman has introduced legislation to “bring transparency and accountability” to the Department of Government Efficiency.
Democratic Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, a first-term congressman, says recent actions by DOGE are “illegal” and “unconstitutional,” resulting in the firings of “highly qualified” federal workers, dismantling of “congressionally-authorized agencies,” as well as “other actions that will lead to making Americans less safe and less prosperous.”
The congressman says his proposed legislation will “force” DOGE to be transparent and accountable “by making all of its actions public” and requires congressional reporting.
In addition, the legislation aims to track “damage” by DOGE to “critical government services” as well as the nation “as its secret members try to wield unchecked power to illegally take control of sensitive data.”
The Legislative Enforcement Against Setbacks from Harmful DOGE Actions Act, also known as the LEASH DOGE Act, focuses on DOGE employees. It requires DOGE to submit a public report to Congress that includes a complete list of its employees and advisors and requires them to disclose background check statuses, including security clearance and conflicts of interest.
The legislation would also require DOGE to testify before Congress on the types of sensitive information the department’s employees can access and mandate the department establish a public website to be updated weekly with information regarding employees’ roles, federal employee layoff data, funding cuts, and points of contact.