December 9, 2024
This week, Capitol Hill welcomed Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who joined the Republican Conference to discuss the bold plans for the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). President Trump has tasked these leaders with bringing their innovative, results-driven approach to Washington to tackle one of our nation’s most pressing issues: an overgrown, inefficient federal bureaucracy that wastes taxpayer dollars and stifles real progress.
DOGE’s mission is clear: trim the fat, increase accountability, and ensure that the government serves the people, not the other way around. Too often, federal programs balloon in cost while delivering minimal results, leaving hardworking Americans footing the bill with no real benefit to them. This must change. House Republicans are ready to work hand-in-hand with Musk, Ramaswamy, and President Trump to refocus our government on efficiency, transparency, and serving the American people.
This week’s theme of government reform also underscored my own efforts in Congress — the House unanimously passed my bipartisan Source Code Harmonization and Reuse in Information Technology (SHARE IT) Act. This legislation addresses a costly and long-overlooked problem in federal IT: agencies paying to develop the same software that another agency already used taxpayer dollars to develop. The SHARE IT Act requires federal agencies to share custom-developed source code, cutting down on duplicative contracts and saving taxpayers millions.
Right now, when it comes to information technology, each federal agency is working in isolation, leading to $6 billion in annual spending on software. It’s inefficient, wasteful, and entirely avoidable. The SHARE IT Act puts an end to this by fostering collaboration, promoting transparency, and ensuring that federal IT investments are smart, secure, and cost-effective. It will also hold agency leaders accountable if they don’t comply.
This issue is important because when families in Western New York and the Southern Tier work hard to pay their taxes, they deserve to know that their money is being spent wisely. Every dollar counts. We can’t continue to line the pockets of bureaucrats and contractors.
As House Republicans continue our mission to deliver a government that works for the people, initiatives like the SHARE IT Act and DOGE represent a critical step forward. We are taking concrete action to cut waste, rein in spending, and bring accountability to Washington. Together, with leaders like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, we are building a government that prioritizes results, innovation, and integrity.
Watch my remarks on this bill:
