¶ Valadao Supported DOGE While It Cut Critical Programs In His District
¶ Valadao Supported The Department Of Government Efficiency
Valadao Expressed Support For The Department Of Government Efficiency, Praising Their Willingness To Try Different Paths From Past Efforts That Were Not “As Effective.” According to Sacramento Bee, "Elon Musk’s America Political Action Committee spent nearly $1 million trying to get Rep. David Valadao re-elected last year. Democrats say that has left the Hanford Republican eager to support the billionaire, who’s been instrumental in pushing for big government spending cuts. […] While Valadao has praised President Donald Trump often, and voted with Republicans on major budget issues this year, there’s no evidence he’s been dealing with Musk. He did, though, see value to the Department of Government Efficiency, where Musk has been a driving force. ‘They’re trying a different path than what we’ve tried in the past and other efforts we’ve made haven’t been as effective,’ he told Bakersfield’s 23ABC’s Mike Hart last week." [Sacramento Bee, 4/28/25]
Valadao Claimed Alarm At DOGE Was “Activists Really Fired Up” And Dismissed Concerns, Saying Departments Were Not Really Shut Down If They Provided “A Service To The American People.” According to Sacramento Bee, "Valadao saw merit in the Trump administration’s efforts to make the government run more smoothly. ‘I think us paying attention to and being good stewards of the taxpayer dollar is always needed. We’ve been going at it from many different approaches for a long period of time,’ Valadao told 23ABC’s Hart last Tuesday. ‘DOGE comes at it from a different angle and they’ve approached it in a way that’s raised a lot of alarm bells and gotten a lot of activists really fired up. But in the reality, does it actually end up with a lot of these departments being shut down? No, not ultimately,’ he told the Bakersfield–based station. Many departments have opened back up, Valadao said, ‘especially the ones that we know provide a service to the American people.’ What matters, the congressman said, is that the government is run efficiently." [Sacramento Bee, 4/28/25]
- In Response To Criticism Of Doge, Valadao Said What Really Mattered Was That The Government Was Run Efficiently. According to Sacramento Bee, "Many departments have opened back up, Valadao said, ‘especially the ones that we know provide a service to the American people.’ What matters, the congressman said, is that the government is run efficiently." [Sacramento Bee, 4/28/25]
2025: At The Social Security Administration, Doge Had Forced Mass Layoffs, Longer Wait Times, And Frequent Website Crashes
One Year After DOGE-Era Cuts Resulted In A 12 Percent Cut Of The Social Security Administration’s Workforce, Social Security Offices Across The Country Still Struggled With Staffing. According to Business Insider, "More than a dozen Social Security field offices are listed as closed to in-person service, instead directing customers to reach out by phone or contact the national 800 number. Now, the list of closures has prompted concerns for the beleaguered agency and its recipients. A federal employees' union memo obtained by Business Insider sheds some light on why offices are closed: Some due to operational issues with their buildings, while others are so small that any understaffing forces them to temporarily shut down. […] The closures come at a tumultuous time for the Social Security Administration and its beneficiaries; the agency shed around 7,000 workers, or nearly 12% of its workforce, during the DOGE era, and has had to temporarily reassign some employees to staff phone lines. While the SSA said these office closures are temporary, staffing issues and a lack of field offices could be an increasing problem for the administration and recipients alike. Some currently-shuttered offices simply don't have enough staff. These smaller offices, called resident stations, are often staffed by just one person and serve low-population areas. Two resident stations in rural Montana and Wyoming are closed for lack of workers." [Business Insider, 4/23/26]
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]
CBPP Said The Trump Administration Had Pushed Out 7,000 Social Security Workers. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, "Over the past five months, the Trump Administration has forced the Social Security Administration (SSA) through a radical transformation that threatens to disrupt services for the largely older and severely disabled people who most rely on the agency.[1] The Trump Administration and its so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have created huge gaps in customer service and support by indiscriminately pushing out 7,000 workers to hit an arbitrary staffing reduction target. This is the largest staffing cut in SSA’s history.[2] (See Figure 1.)" [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 6/23/25]
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]
¶ Valadao Previously Expressed Support For Limiting Social Security
2024: Valadao Said No One Would “Ever” Advocate For Cutting Social Security But That They Needed To Get “People Off The System.” According to David Valadao on KSEE-FRES, “VALADAO: I mean, obviously making sure that we don't have people taking advantage of the system, people who are actually receiving benefits deserve those benefits. And so those are types of areas that we should be looking into. That's something that it's not really a cut that we should be looking at, but we have to make sure that we fix our numbers a little bit, if that makes sense. When a lot of programs like Social Security, others were created, there were more workers per retirees and the numbers have tightened up. And so obviously no one is ever going to advocate for any sort of cut, but we have to find ways to make sure we get more people working. And obviously getting people off the system is part of that, but also making sure that we're growing the number of workers who are bringing jobs back, tax policy, trade policy, things that bring investment here into the U.S., into the Valley, get people back to work and get them paying into the system. And that are, those are types of things that can help us close that gap.” [KSEE-FRES, 10/13/24] (video)
2012: Valadao Started His Time In Office By Running On Cutting Social Security And Medicare Spending To Limit The Debt. According to a candidate questionnaire David Valadao completed for Hanford Sentinel, “QUESTION: How do you propose to deal with the mounting federal deficit? What specific cuts or new taxes do you support? VALADAO: The government should never spend more money than it takes in. We cannot saddle future generations with insurmountable debt. Entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare need to be reformed and set on a path of sustainability. If elected, I would make our growing federal deficit a priority and join with other like-minded legislators to address this important issue.” [David Valadao Candidate Questionnaire – Hanford Sentinel, 4/28/12]
¶ More Than 104,000 Californians In The 22nd Congressional District Relied On Social Security Benefits In 2025
104,454 Californians In The 22nd Congressional District Received Social Security In 2025.
[Social Security Administration, California, 2025]
¶ DOGE Cuts Impacted Programs Across Services In Valadao’s District, Including Public Health, Nutrition, Housing, Utilities Assistance, Education, And Gun Violence Protection
DOGE Cuts In Valadao’s District Eliminated Public Health Programs Helping Constituents Access Basic Care And Nutrition Education. According to Cal Matters, "Across the state, county health and human services departments have made significant reductions to bread-and-butter programs as a result of the Trump administration’s funding cuts and freezes. Kern, San Luis Obispo, Orange and Los Angeles counties, as well as the city of Long Beach, are among those reducing health services. […] California cities and counties have closed public health clinics, eliminated family planning programs, stopped dental services, reduced appointment availability for immunizations, instituted hiring freezes and laid off dozens of local health workers. At the end of the month, because of cuts in Trump’s so-called One Big Beautiful Bill, most county health departments will shut down nutrition programs focused on teaching low-income families how to stretch their food stamp dollars and cook healthier food. […] DOGE cuts billions of public health dollars […] Those cuts targeted money that health departments had used to bolster their response to the COVID-19 pandemic by shoring up laboratory capacity, community outreach and immunization programs. In turn, many counties hired dozens of public health workers and were able to expand other services. The grants were, in some cases, scheduled to last until 2027. Their abrupt termination left counties scrambling." [Cal Matters, 9/15/26]
- Kern County, Where Programs Were Cut, Had The Highest Rate Of Diabetes-Related Deaths In The State. According to Cal Matters, "Across the state, county health and human services departments have made significant reductions to bread-and-butter programs as a result of the Trump administration’s funding cuts and freezes. Kern, San Luis Obispo, Orange and Los Angeles counties, as well as the city of Long Beach, are among those reducing health services. […] Kern has the highest rate of diabetes-related deaths in the state, and 78% of adults are overweight or obese, according to state data." [Cal Matters, 9/15/26]
Cuts Impacted Food, Housing, And Utilities Assistance For Low-Income Families In Bakersfield. According to KGET, "Amid continued federal funding cuts from the Trump administration, the future of various federal programs remains unclear. In Bakersfield, families seeking food and housing assistance are already being turned away. Food pantries and organizations in town predict the impact will only grow — perhaps within the next month. For families struggling to make ends meet, the Salvation Army in Bakersfield is often the last glimpse of hope. ‘We are the last resort,’ said Capt. Clinton Trimmer, a corps officer with the Bakersfield Salvation Army. ‘What we are talking about is people who have received either an eviction notice or people who have received a pay or quit notice. So, these are people who are in an emergency situation. It’s not just they have fallen behind. They are in danger of homelessness,’ said Trimmer. What allows Captain Clinton Trimmer and his team to help are federal funds from The Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) of FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. To help prevent homelessness, this program — started in 1983 — funds housing, food and supportive services. ‘It’s been a stable program, and it may still be a stable program. We don’t know. The issue is we’re now in limbo,’ Trimmer noted. With that yearly funding, The Salvation Army helps dozens of families. Last year, 35 households got rent or mortgage assistance and 54 households got utilities assistance. In 2023, 58 households got rent or mortgage assistance. 155 got utilies[sic] assistance." [KGET, 4/7/25]
The Fresno Region Was Estimated To Lose $45 Million In Funding From DOGE Cuts, Including In Programs Related To Public Health, Teacher Training, Immigration Services, Housing, And More. According to Fresno Bee, "Dozens of nonprofits, foundations and government agencies in the San Joaquin Valley risk losing millions of dollars of funding cuts or freezes under the Trump administration’s push to reduce ‘wasteful’ government spending. Many are scaling back programs, tapping into reserves, aggressively fundraising or warning employees of terminations as a result of sudden cuts to federal funding under Trump’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. A Fresno Bee analysis of contracts, grants and terminated leases found that, as of April 25, the region could lose at least $45 million in funding cuts, impacting public health, teacher training, immigration services and more. These estimated losses include: Approximately $18 million in ‘savings’ claimed by DOGE in Fresno, Madera & Tulare counties. Fresno County’s estimated $11 million to $13 million losses for public health grants. And Fresno Housing Authority’s emergency voucher program losses of $15 million over the next five years. The full extent of the local impact of federal funding cuts is likely higher. Other Fresno area federally funded programs are under threat, such as Medicaid, Head Start and public radio." [Fresno Bee, 6/6/25]
- DOGE Cut Tulare County Education Funding To Recruit And Train Qualified Teachers. According to Fresno Bee, "Tulare County Office of Education: The federal government wants to claw back two grants it awarded for teacher training and capacity building. The grants, worth a combined $16.5 million, were for two programs: Teacher Residency for Rural and Urban Education, or TRRUE, and Equity, Excellence, Effectiveness in partnership with Visalia Unified School District. The first program was to create residency programs to recruit, train, and place highly-qualified teachers in classrooms in northern, central, and southern California, Herman said. TCOE’s California Center on Teaching Careers is leading the grant partnership with San Diego County Office of Education, Humboldt County Office of Education, Fresno State, San Diego State, Cal Poly, and 11 high-need school districts." [Fresno Bee, 6/6/25]
- DOGE Cut Grants To A Large Fresno Area Poverty-Fighting Agency Focused On Preventing Gun Violence. According to Fresno Bee, "The largest recipient of federal grants in Fresno County is Fresno EOC, a poverty-fighting agency. In an email statement, interim CEO Brian Angus confirmed that on Tuesday afternoon, Fresno EOC Advance Peace Fresno received word that its $2 million, three-year grant from the Department of Justice ended ‘immediately with no forewarning.’ The program still had $1 million left to spend under the grant. Advance Peace is an organization dedicated to ending the cycle of retaliatory gun violence in American urban neighborhoods. ‘While this sudden loss of funds has impacted the program and reduced staff, our mission remains the same to reduce gun violence in Fresno and transform lives,’ Angus said." [Fresno Bee, 6/6/25]