What comes next? Government efficiency after Elon
Elon Musk has announced that he will be stepping back from his role as government efficiency czar in May
Musk has played a critical role in jumpstarting the movement to expose and eliminate government waste and inefficiency, and all signs say that DOGE will continue to do so. But Musk’s departure is also a warning signal that it’s time for Congress to step up and assume its rightful leadership role.
Only Congress has the power of the purse. And only Congress can permanently stop the waste uncovered by government accountability efforts by codifying positive changes into law to hold the administrative state accountable and ensure the government operates within constitutional limits – even after Musk and President Trump are gone.
To establish lasting reforms that can’t be overturned by the next change in administration, Congress should prioritize the following:
- Ending wasteful Biden-era regulations using the Congressional Review Act (CRA)
- The Congressional Review Act gives Congress the power to review and overturn certain major federal agency rules. Congress should use this process to rescind wasteful policies of the last administration that have gone unchecked.
- Passing the Midnight Rules and Relief Act
- The Midnight Rules and Relief Act would allow Congress to reject multiple regulations in a single resolution, rather than doing so one at a time in separate resolutions, as is currently required by the Congressional Review Act. This legislation would strengthen the CRA as a tool Congress can use to check the executive branch and prevent future bureaucratic overreach.
- Passing the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act
- The REINS Act would require all significant new federal regulations to receive congressional approval before they are implemented. It is another critical check on the power of unelected federal bureaucrats.
- Passing the Reorganizing Government Act
- This legislation would restore a legal pathway for the president to reorganize federal agencies under congressional oversight. The president would be able to propose a plan to reorganize the executive branch, which Congress would have the authority to accept or reject.
- Passing the Guidance Out of Darkness (GOOD) Act
- This bill would require federal agencies to publish all regulatory guidance in a searchable, digital format to ensure transparency.
For too long, Congress sat back and allowed executive overreach, politically motivated spending, and waste to run amok. It’s estimated that federal regulations now cost the average American household between $16,000 and $23,000 per year.
Enough is enough. For the administration’s government efficiency solutions to stick, it’s time for Congress to act.
