¶ Overview
- Huizenga was a very early supporter of Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency” and said the agency was “going to be able to do a lot of good work.” Huizenga also defended DOGE to constituents that were protesting outside his office and said the agency was “greatly improving transparency and accountability.”
- Despite Huizenga’s praise for DOGE, Michiganders were suffering thanks to the agency’s actions. DOGE’s downsizing efforts were affecting the federal government’s ability to deliver services to seniors, including more than 178,000 of Huizenga’s constituents. DOGE cancelled grants for the Michigan Department of Health And Human Services, Department of Education, and EPA.
¶ Huizenga Was A Vocal Advocate For DOGE Despite The Detrimental Impact It Had On Michiganders
¶ Huizenga was an early supporter of doge and Defended it to CONSTITUENTS
Huizenga Said He Welcomed Elon Musk’s Involvement And The “Level Of Transparency” That Musk Brings To The Federal Government. According to Bill Huizenga on FBN: Varney & Co., “HOST: Michigan Congressman Bill Huizenga joins us now to talk about this. And, Congressman, thank you for being here. What do you make of Elon Musk's upcoming role in the White House? I mean, shadow president, as someone just suggested. HUIZENGA: Yeah, I don't see the shadow president, but good to be with you, Ashleigh, as we're leaving this Christmas time. But I do welcome his involvement. He brings a level of transparency that, frankly, most people cannot. And now we are used to having outside folks influencing what we're doing, whether it's think tanks, whether it's individuals, whether it's constituents. Obviously, they weigh in in different ways. Social media is a huge way of doing that. But, you know, I saw that little clip of Senator Hagerty talking about the transparency that an Elon Musk's involvement brings is significant. And I welcome it.” [FBN: Varney & Co., 12/23/24] (video)
Huizenga Said DOGE Was “Going To Be Able To Do A Lot Of Good Work And They Actually Have Been.” According to WJSM, “Congressman Bill Huizenga says the federal budget cuts being prepared by Elon Musk and his DOGE staff on behalf of President Donald Trump will be a good exercise once Congress gets its say. Since Musk began digging into the finances of various federal departments, many have expressed concerns about an abuse of power. However, Huizenga tells us DOGE isn’t just some private entity coming in to meddle. He says it has some official standing. ‘They’re going to be able to do a lot of good work and they actually have been,’ Huizenga said. ‘DOGE has been folded into a digital service division, so it’s not like it’s this outside separate operating organization. It is actually part of a previously established government agency. So, they’re going to have to work with Congress.’” [WSJM, 2/6/25]
Huizenga Claimed DOGE Was “A Great Conversation To Have” About Federal Spending. According to an interview Rep. Bill Huizenga gave on JR Mornings, "HUIZENGA: Each Congress is different because we have different people. And each time actually. But I, I do think you're right in your analysis that, uh, you know, DOGE, uh, it has has come about because of this frustration from those just on the outside of not being able to see Congress come together and, and really deal with this. Last time it was done, I was a staff guy for my predecessor, Peter Hoekstra, back in the day when, uh, when they last balanced the budget, uh, under Bill Clinton and Republicans were in control of the House and the Senate. And, uh, you know, I'm, I'm hopeful that we're going to be able to try to do this. Look, DOGE is a great conversation to have, but they are not going to be able to do all of that. Congress still has to do its job. I'm just hoping that, uh, after the last election, people wake up enough to say, Hey, look, we know that there's some radical change that needs to happen in Washington, and and this is one of those tools that hopefully is going to get us there." [JR Mornings, 2/7/25] (audio)
Huizenga Defended DOGE To Constituents And Said It Was “Modernizing Federal Technology And Software To Maximize Governmental Efficiency And Productivity.” According to Bill Huizenga in a campaign email, "President Trump used his authority to rename and reorganize the United States Digital Service to the United States Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Service on January 20, 2025. DOGE is tasked with modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity. This executive order also directed federal agencies to establish their own DOGE teams, which may be comprised of Special Government Employees, to coordinate their work with DOGE. Special Government Employees are temporary government officials expected to work less than 130 days in a calendar year. At the direction of the President, entrepreneur and tech business owner, Elon Musk, has been closely engaged with DOGE in his capacity as a Special Government Employee. As you may know, it has been reported that U.S. Department of Treasury's DOGE team has expanded on the Biden Administration's review of the Bureau of the Fiscal Service's payment systems in order to improve payment integrity. In response to congressional concerns, the Treasury has made it clear that the ongoing operational review is not resulting in the suspension, delay, rerouting, or rejection of any payments, including those related to Social Security and Medicare payments. Furthermore, this review and the DOGE and veteran career Treasury officials involved are subject to all standard security, safety, and privacy standards. The Treasury has also highlighted the payment systems' already robust and effective protections. As this administration continues its important work to make our government's digital systems more efficient, I want to let you know that I agree that DOGE must abide by President Trump's executive order to work within the law and adhere to rigorous data protection standards. " [Huizenga Huddle, 2/7/25]
Huizenga Claimed “The Federal Bureaucracy Has Grown Substantially” When Defending DOGE And Said It Was “Greatly Improving Transparency And Accountability.” According to Bill Huizenga, "For a century, the federal bureaucracy has grown substantially while seeking to avoid accountability from Congress, the President, and, most importantly, the American people. To remedy this, President Trump used his authority to reorganize the U.S. Digital Service into the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Service. DOGE is tasked with modernizing federal technology to maximize efficiency and making recommendations for improvement. He also directed federal agencies to establish their own DOGE teams, which may include department veterans, to identify waste, fraud, and abuse. Last week, I discussed the misuse of taxpayer dollars by bureaucrats at USAID. Here are some additional areas that need further examination. Recently, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the agency uncovered $20 billion the Biden Administration ‘parked’ at an outside financial institution to rapidly obligate funds with little oversight at the end of President Biden’s term. This included $2 billion for an organization that had only $100 in revenue the year prior and has ties to failed political candidate Stacey Abrams. Additionally, it was reported that, in December, the Biden-Harris EPA rapidly handed out $1.6 billion in ‘environmental justice grants.’ These grants included $20 million – the maximum amount – to a member of President Biden’s Environmental Justice Advisory Council who personally applied for the grant! These actions require further investigation. Meanwhile at the Treasury Department, DOGE uncovered $4.7 trillion in payments lacking the Treasury Account Symbol, making them untraceable. Without this information, the Office of Management and Budget is unable to connect the payment to a budget line. This is an astronomical sum of money that went into a bureaucratic black hole. As a result, the Treasury Account Symbol will now be a required field for all payments, greatly improving transparency and accountability. " [Bill Huizenga, 2/27/25]
Huizenga Defended DOGE To A Group Of Protestors Outside His Office. According to WGVU News, "Last week, Zeeland Republican Congressman Bill Huizenga met with constituents protesting outside his Holland office. ‘Actually, I’d had a hole in my schedule that got created and I was needing to leave to go to a different event and, rather than just hang out in my office making calls, I thought, ‘You know what? I’m going to go out, spend a little time with folks.’ U.S. Representative Bill Huizenga said he spent more than 45 minutes fielding questions about his support of President Trump, Social Security, tariffs, DOGE, education, and government debt. " [WGVU News, 3/31/25]
¶ Huizenga Supported DOGE Even After Admitting That Musk “Tweeted First And Thought Second”
Huizenga Admitted That Musk “Has Tweeted First And Thought Second Sometimes.” According to the Associated Press, "Republicans, particularly those in Congress, have been overwhelmingly supportive of broad cuts across the federal government at the hands of Elon Musk ’s Department of Government Efficiency. But some have had words of caution. Rep. Bill Huizenga, Michigan ‘I will fully admit, I think Elon Musk has tweeted first and thought second sometimes,’ Huizenga said last week during a virtual meeting with constituents." [Associated Press, 3/11/25]
2025: at the social security administration, doge had forced mass layoffs, longer wait times and frequent website crashes
HEADLINE: "Social Security Stops Reporting Call Wait Times And Other Metrics" [Washington Post, 6/20/25]
HEADLINE: "As Social Security Services Are Cut Back, Millions Of Seniors Face Long Drives" [Axios, 4/8/25]
HEADLINE: "Social Security Website Keeps Crashing, As DOGE Demands Cuts To IT Staff" [Washington Post, 4/7/25]
HEADLINE: "Social Security Faces Thousands More Job Cuts Even With Service In Tailspin" [Washington Post, 4/4/25]
The Social Security Administration Website Crashed Four Times In Ten Days In March Because Servers Were Overloaded. According to the Washington Post, "The Social Security Administration website crashed four times in 10 days this month because the servers were overloaded, blocking millions of retirees and disabled Americans from logging in to their online accounts. In the field, office managers have resorted to answering phones in place of receptionists because so many employees have been pushed out. Amid all this, the agency no longer has a system to monitor customer experience because that office was eliminated as part of the cost-cutting efforts led by Elon Musk. And the phones keep ringing. And ringing." [Washington Post, 3/25/25]
Field Office Managers At Social Security Offices Had To Answer Phones In Place Of Receptionists Because DOGE Had Pushed Out So Many Federal Employees. According to the Washington Post, "The Social Security Administration website crashed four times in 10 days this month because the servers were overloaded, blocking millions of retirees and disabled Americans from logging in to their online accounts. In the field, office managers have resorted to answering phones in place of receptionists because so many employees have been pushed out. Amid all this, the agency no longer has a system to monitor customer experience because that office was eliminated as part of the cost-cutting efforts led by Elon Musk. And the phones keep ringing. And ringing." [Washington Post, 3/25/25]
DOGE Eliminated The Social Security Administration’s System To Monitor Customer Experience. According to the Washington Post, "The Social Security Administration website crashed four times in 10 days this month because the servers were overloaded, blocking millions of retirees and disabled Americans from logging in to their online accounts. In the field, office managers have resorted to answering phones in place of receptionists because so many employees have been pushed out. Amid all this, the agency no longer has a system to monitor customer experience because that office was eliminated as part of the cost-cutting efforts led by Elon Musk. And the phones keep ringing. And ringing." [Washington Post, 3/25/25]
Early February-Late March 2025: AARP Said More Than 2,000 People Per Week Had Called Expressing Concerns About Whether They Would Continue To Get Their Social Security Benefits. According to the Washington Post, "Alarmed lawmakers are straining to answer questions back home from angry constituents. Calls have flooded into congressional offices. AARP announced Monday that more than 2,000 people a week have called the retiree organization since early February — double the usual number — with concerns about whether benefits they paid for during their working careers will continue. Social Security is the primary source of income for about 40 percent of older Americans." [Washington Post, 3/25/25]
¶ More Than 178,000 Michiganders In The Fourth District Relied On Social Security Benefits
2025: 178,413 Michiganders In The Fourth District Relied On Social Security Benefits. According to the Social Security Administration, in 2024, 178,413 Michiganders in the fourth district received Social Security benefits. [Social Security Administration, Michigan, 2025]
¶ MICHIGAN Suffered Due To DOGE Cuts That huizenga Supported
DOGE Canceled $400 Million In Grants From The Michigan Department Of Health And Human Services. According to MLive, "As of June 18, the state Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has lost nearly $400.9 million in grant dollars, according to DOGE. The department also reported $2.4 million in cuts from a contract awarded to MDHHS by the Social Security Administration for ‘enumeration at birth and race and ethnicity records.’ The Michigan Department of Education is listed on DOGE’s website as having lost $29.6 million from two grants cancelled March 17. Both from the Department of Agriculture, they allow state governments to purchase food from local producers for education and childcare centers, and to expand upon prior local food purchase assistance program work. " [MLive, 6/20/25]
DOGE Canceled Almost $30 Million In Grants From The Michigan Department Of Education That Allowed State Governments “To Purchase Food From Local Producers For Education And Childcare Centers.” According to MLive, "As of June 18, the state Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has lost nearly $400.9 million in grant dollars, according to DOGE. The department also reported $2.4 million in cuts from a contract awarded to MDHHS by the Social Security Administration for ‘enumeration at birth and race and ethnicity records.’ The Michigan Department of Education is listed on DOGE’s website as having lost $29.6 million from two grants cancelled March 17. Both from the Department of Agriculture, they allow state governments to purchase food from local producers for education and childcare centers, and to expand upon prior local food purchase assistance program work. " [MLive, 6/20/25]
In Kalamazoo, DOGE Canceled An EPA Grant That Would “Deliver Critical Home Repairs And Energy Efficiency Upgrades To 300 Owner-Occupied Single-Family Homes.” According to MLive, "Kalamazoo County delivered news to a local climate group of climate activists that an $18.9 million grant has been canceled. The Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners accepted the EPA community change grant in December 2024. At its Tuesday, April 7 meeting, the board approved a communication to officially notify a local climate group that the money isn’t coming. The Kalamazoo Climate Crisis Coalition was set to receive the money for programs to deliver critical home repairs and energy efficiency upgrades to 300 owner-occupied single-family homes. The money would have also helped build green workforce pathways, connect residents to additional efficiency funding and create a network of energy‑independent climate resiliency hubs. Last March, a letter released by U.S. senators revealed that the grant was one of 400 ‘targeted for termination’ by the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE). " [MLive, 4/9/26]
¶ Elon Musk’s America PAC Spent More Than $14,000 Supporting Huizenga’s Campaign
Elon Musk Resurrected His Super PAC, America PAC, And Planned To Spend At Least $100 Million To Help Republicans During The 2026 Election Cycle. According to MSNow, “Republican megadonor Elon Musk conceded a couple of months ago that he ‘got a little too involved in politics, got carried away, frankly.’ Just days later, the world’s wealthiest billionaire opened the door to getting carried away in politics again. Musk, who spent nearly $300 million to boost GOP candidates during the 2024 election cycle, suggested last summer that he was prepared to invest in a new third political party to challenge Republicans and Democrats. Roughly a year later, he resurrected his super PAC (called America PAC) and made plans to spend at least $100 million to help Republicans in multiple swing states.” [MSNow, 9/9/26]
9/9/26: America PAC Spent $14,197 Supporting Huizenga’s Congressional Campaign.
[Federal Election Commission, America PAC, 24/28 Hour Report of Independent Expenditures, Filed 9/9/26]
9/9/26: American PAC Spent $6,798 To Oppose Sean Mccan, Huizenga’s Opponent.
[Federal Election Commission, America PAC, 24/28 Hour Report of Independent Expenditures, Filed 9/9/26]
¶ Musk’s PAC Spent More Than $20,000 On Huizenga’s Race
As Of 9/9/26, America PAC Spent $20,996 On The House Race For Michigan’s 4th District.
[Federal Election Commission, America PAC, 24/28 Hour Report of Independent Expenditures, Filed 9/9/26]