Rep. Greene's DOGE subcommittee to tackle government waste in first hearing

ATLANTA - The House Oversight Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE), chaired by Georgia’s Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, has scheduled its first hearing. 

Rep. Greene has also announced the first topic to be raised by DOGE.

The House’s Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency's first hearing

What we know:

DOGE is set to hold its inaugural hearing on Wednesday, Feb. 12. Chaired by Rep. Greene, R-Georgia’s 14th Congressional District, the session, titled "The War on Waste: Stamping Out the Scourge of Improper Payments and Fraud," will address issues of government efficiency and improper spending.

The subcommittee, although distinct from the Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk, is anticipated to become a focal point for partisan debates over the Trump administration's federal government overhaul efforts. In addition to the subcommittee, lawmakers in both chambers have established "DOGE" caucuses to discuss legislative measures aimed at enhancing government efficiency.

What we don't know:

It was not immediately clear who, if anyone, was scheduled to testify during the first hearing.

Rep. Greene targets NPR, PBS funding

Dig deeper:

Rep. Greene has also announced plans for a separate hearing in March to scrutinize federal funding for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). In letters sent to the CEOs of both organizations, Greene accused them of biased reporting and questioned their eligibility for taxpayer funding.

"The Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (Subcommittee) is planning a hearing on federally funded radio and television, including its systemically biased content," Greene wrote to NPR. "This hearing is an opportunity for you to explain to Congress and the American people why federal funds should be used for public radio—particularly the sort of content produced by NPR."

What they're saying:

Greene referenced an April 2024 op-ed by former NPR senior business editor Uri Berliner, who criticized the network for appealing to a liberal audience and neglecting major stories such as Hunter Biden’s laptop, COVID-19 origins, and alleged Russian election interference. She also accused PBS of misrepresenting an incident involving Musk, alleging the network falsely suggested he made a fascist salute during President Trump’s inauguration celebration.

"This sort of bias betrays the principles of objective reporting and undermines public trust," Greene wrote in a separate letter to PBS. "As an organization that receives federal funds channeled through its member stations, PBS should provide reporting that serves the entire public, not just a narrow slice of like-minded individuals and ideological interest groups."

What's next:

The subcommittee has requested that NPR and PBS executives testify during the week of either March 3 or March 24. A spokesperson for Greene did not immediately respond to a request for comment.