DEMANDING TRANSPARENCY, EFFICIENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY FROM OUR GOVERNMENT IS NOT EXTREME

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Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 42 (Wednesday, March 5, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 42 (Wednesday, March 5, 2025)] [House] [Page H983] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] DEMANDING TRANSPARENCY, EFFICIENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY FROM OUR GOVERNMENT IS NOT EXTREME (Mr. Haridopolos of Florida was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mr. HARIDOPOLOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight some good points made by our opinion editor at Florida Today, John Torres. He writes: ``The pushback over DOGE's cuts and the doomsdayers on social media have me perplexed. ``Don't we want our tax dollars to bring back the biggest bang for the buck? Don't we get angry when we buy something that in the end isn't worth what we paid for it? ``This shouldn't be a red or a blue issue. Everyone, on both sides of the aisle, should want our government to operate as effectively and efficiently as possible.'' He adds: ``Outrage over Elon Musk's email surprised me. ``I couldn't believe the outrage on social media and broadcast news because DOGE asked government employees to write down five things they did at work the previous week.'' He adds, ``Here's a news flash: Anyone working in the real world has to constantly justify what they are doing. From the baseball slugger mired in a hitting slump to the journalist not writing enough stories to traffic cops not writing enough tickets, we all have to prove our worth. It's real life. ``I've had friends and colleagues over the years,'' he adds, ``working in the private sector, who actually had to reapply for their own jobs and then get interviewed by outside human resource professionals in order to try and keep their positions. Many didn't.'' You can read the rest of that article on the Florida Today website. I will continue by saying, we are at a turning point, a moment when we must ask ourselves: Do we want a government to serve the people efficiently, or do we want a bureaucracy for the sake of bureaucracy? That is the question that DOGE is forcing Washington to confront, and from where I stand, it is about time. For decades, we have watched government agencies balloon in size and cost, with little accountability and even less justification. We have seen waste. Some of it egregious, some of it so routine that people barely blink an eye. Let me be clear: Demanding transparency, efficiency, and accountability from our government is not extreme. It is common sense. It is what every hardworking American does when they balance their budget, scrutinize their receipts, or shop around for the best deal. Consider the recent controversy over DOGE's request that Federal Government employees account for what they did that week, as I mentioned earlier. That is it. Simple thing: What five tasks did you accomplish? Tell me, as Mr. Torres said, who among us doesn't have to justify our work? Why should government be any different? DOGE understands something fundamental: Washington should work for the people, not the other way around. That means questioning contracts, finding and cutting waste, and making sure that when the government spends a dollar of your money, it delivers value. Critics argue that some government contracts canceled by DOGE haven't led to immediate savings. Isn't canceling wasteful government spending before it can be renewed a step in the right direction? Shouldn't we be cleaning house rather than just accepting bad deals because they are already in motion? Let's put it in terms we can all understand: If you saw a suspicious charge on your credit card, would you just shrug it off and pay for it? I think not. You would demand answers. You would challenge it. That is exactly what DOGE is doing with your tax dollars. {time} 1045 Let me remind you of something else. In November, the American people voted for change. They chose a different direction because the status quo simply wasn't working. Now, because DOGE is doing what it promised, delivering transparency and charting a better course for America's fiscal future, some people are alarmed. The American people deserve a government that works for them, not against them, a government that values every dollar that it spends, a government that for once is accountable to the people who actually fund it. That is what DOGE is delivering, and that is why I proudly support this effort for transparency and making sure that every dollar sent to Washington, D.C., is spent in a manner that makes us proud. ____________________

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