U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle of Springfield is one of a handful of Democrats to join the new “Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency Caucus,” also known as the DOGE Caucus.
The group - led by Republicans - will focus on cutting government spending. It’s a separate entity from Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy’s advisory group with a similar name, though some members have echoed their calls for widespread cuts.
The caucus is also separate from the DOGE House subcommittee led by Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
With Republicans about to control Congress and the White House, Hoyle said Democrats need to advocate for the programs their constituents rely on – wherever they can.
"It's important to have a voice in the room,” Hoyle told KLCC. “That person that's going to say 'You know if you do this, here's what's going to happen.' If we're not in the room, we can't hear what they're doing and we can't actually put our ideas forward."
Hoyle said there are some cost-cutting measures she does support - like holding the Department of Defense accountable for repeatedly failed audits.
Hoyle has received some pushback - with one organization that advocates for Social Security arguing her presence could offer legitimacy to efforts to cut benefits for older Americans.
Hoyle said she expected criticism, but said she and other Democrats need to work with people they may disagree with to protect those programs.
“The Republicans have no problem coming to where we are. Look at what Donald Trump did,” Hoyle said. “They moved the needle because people felt listened too. We need to not be afraid to go into their rooms and actually fight for what I know Democrats and Republicans believe in.”
