Watching Washington: US Executive and Legislative Branches Work Overtime

This week, the United States’ executive and legislative branches continued to work overtime as President Donald Trump released an executive order strengthening the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and the Senate moved forward with several confirmation hearings.  

Trump met with General Secretary of DOGE Elon Musk and reporters in the Oval Office Feb. 11 to release an executive order that clarified the specific role of the new department, according to a report by NPR. The order specified the definitions of each official hired within DOGE, as well as what the parameters are for investigating “immigration enforcement” as it pertains to federal statutes.  

According to Section 3 of the executive order, the director of the office of management and budget must draft a formal “plan to reduce the size of the Federal Government’s workforce through efficiency improvements and attrition.”  

The order also stipulates that DOGE will implement “reductions in force” for “offices that perform functions not mandated by statue or other law.” Trump’s order states that “all agency diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives” will be reduced or eliminated. According to a report by FOX News, DOGE cut the Department of Agriculture’s “$1 million contract for a diversity communications campaign,” and Homeland Security’s $36,000 contract that funded “DEI related workshops” Feb. 12.  

The Department of Agriculture will also no longer have a contract “for Brazil forest and gender consultant services” that amounted to $230,000 in federal spending. Additionally, the Department of Labor will eliminate its $4 million DEI contract, according to FOX News.  

The DOGE account on X announced its website was officially live as of Feb. 12, emphasizing that the agency “will constantly be working to maximize the site’s utility and transparency,” according to the social media post. 

In addition to DOGE’s executives, several other government roles were filled over the last two weeks.  

A host of senators confirmed Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination Feb. 12 to serve as the United States Director of National Intelligence, according to a report by NBC News. The decision resulted in a 52-48 vote, with more House Republicans than House Democrats voting in favor of Gabbard.  

Two days later, Gabbard gave her first speech as director of national intelligence at the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany. The newly appointed Gabbard said that “America First” must not be interpreted to mean “America alone” in her address to other intelligence officials.  

“As director of national intelligence, I look forward to strengthening our relationships, allowing us to partner when it comes to exchanging critical information to counter threats and advance our mutual interests,” Gabbard said. “I am focused on returning the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to its original mission, which is to keep the American people safe and deliver the most accurate and timely intelligence to the president, U.S. officials, our warfighters and our allies.” 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation hearing was also a close vote, with a 52-48 count approving his nomination by Trump Feb. 13, according to CNN. Kennedy, as the new Health and Human Services secretary will oversee the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, as well as 80,000 employees, according to Politico.  

Kennedy emphasized his plan “to take nutrition and health programs in a radical new direction,” in his address to the Senate Finance Committee.  

“We will make sure our tax dollars support healthy foods. We will scrutinize the chemical additives in our food supply. We will remove the financial conflicts of interest in our agencies,” Kennedy said. “We will create an honest, unbiased, science-driven HHS, accountable to the president, to Congress and to the American people.”  

Kash Patel, FBI director nominee, also moved forward in his confirmation hearing Feb. 13 with a final result of 12-10 Senate Judiciary Committee members voting for Patel to proceed to the Senate floor, according to the Hill.   

According to the Associated Press, several House Republicans, including Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) think Patel will positively impact the bureau.  

“The American people are sick and tired of two tiers of access, tiers of treatment and two tiers of justice. And during the Biden years, this was writ large in the actions of the DOJ and the FBI,” Blackburn said.  

In contrast, the Associated Press also noted, a majority of House Democrats like Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) fear Patel lacks the necessary experience to be in charge of the FBI.  

“This is a guy whose judgment is beyond questionable. It’s appallingly bad,” Whitehouse said.  

Patel’s confirmation hearing is expected to be scheduled in the coming weeks.  

All facts of this article were correct at the time of publishing.  

Davis is the Editor-in-Chief for the Liberty Champion. Follow her on X.