With just two weeks until the March 14 government funding deadline, a growing debate over whether to incorporate DOGE’s budget cuts into the spending bill is complicating negotiations.
Hardline House conservatives are pushing to codify the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) reductions, but opposition from Democrats and moderate Republicans threatens to increase the risk of a government shutdown.
House Conservatives Push to Include DOGE Cuts in Funding Bill
Members of the House Freedom Caucus and other fiscal hawks are calling for the inclusion of DOGE’s cost-cutting measures in the continuing resolution (CR).
Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), a staunch supporter of DOGE’s cuts, said:
“I would have a real hard time voting for a clean CR after everything that we’ve seen out of DOGE.”
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), another fiscal hardliner, questioned the purpose of DOGE if its actions were not included:
“Why are we even having DOGE if we’re not gonna solidify and put it in the CR?”
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) argued that funding agencies that DOGE has targeted for elimination would be a contradiction:
“Why are we going to fund the very things that DOGE is identifying that we shouldn’t be funding?”
One of the major points of contention is DOGE’s role in dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The agency has already seen widespread layoffs, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently canceled $60 billion in USAID contracts.
Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) warned that failing to codify DOGE’s cuts would undermine Trump’s agenda:
“It would be difficult for the American people to support a CR that funds agencies that DOGE has exposed for waste, fraud, and abuse.”
Speaker Johnson Caught Between Hardliners and Shutdown Risks
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is facing increasing pressure from both conservatives demanding deep cuts and Democrats who oppose DOGE’s influence on the budget.
On Wednesday, Johnson cast doubt on whether DOGE’s cuts could be included in a clean continuing resolution, saying:
“If it’s a CR, it probably is as close to a clean CR as possible, because that’s the most reasonable thing to do to ensure that the government is not shut down.”
Later that same day, however, Johnson softened his stance, suggesting that some DOGE-related cuts could be reflected in the funding bill:
“You can increase spending, you can decrease spending, you can add language to reflect DOGE’s changes, especially with USAID.”
On Thursday, Johnson remained vague, stating:
“It would not make sense to appropriate funds to divisions of an agency that doesn’t exist anymore.”
His shifting position underscores the difficult balancing act he faces—keeping the House Freedom Caucus on board while ensuring the bill has enough bipartisan support to pass the Senate.
Democrats and Senate Republicans Push Back Against DOGE Cuts
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, dismissed the idea of including DOGE’s cuts in the bill:
“I don’t know what they’re even talking about. Every day it’s something.”
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, rejected the idea of making budget cuts based on DOGE’s actions in the short-term spending bill:
“We should consider this in the FY 2026 appropriations process, where we can hear testimony from agency heads.”
Collins’ stance highlights the tough road ahead for those seeking to codify DOGE’s reductions immediately.
