DOGE eyes suggestions to slash federal DEI programs: report

Articles | January 17, 2025 | by Catholics for Catholics

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• Leadership and Proposal: The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under the leadership of Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, is actively considering recommendations to reduce federal spending on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. The push for these cuts comes from a document prepared by the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, a conservative think tank.
• Financial Impact: The report claims that federal DEI programs cost taxpayers more than $120 billion annually. It details various programs across multiple government departments, including:
  • Agriculture: A $5 billion fund for minority farmers and ranchers, which the report argues is unconstitutional and a form of reverse discrimination.
  • Energy: A $100 million initiative for “energy equity” aimed at ensuring disadvantaged communities benefit from clean energy transitions.
  • Education: Programs like the $15 billion in student debt relief for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, criticized for disproportionately benefiting certain groups.
  • Justice: The Community Relations Service, which has spent $17 million promoting diversity and inclusion.
  • Transportation: Over $1 billion allocated for infrastructure equity, including initiatives like “complete streets” to benefit underserved communities.

• Legal and Constitutional Concerns: The document suggests that many of these programs might be illegal under current interpretations of the Constitution, particularly arguing against what it describes as “race-based” funding.
• Political and Administrative Response: While there’s skepticism about the complete elimination of these programs due to political resistance, insiders suggest that some level of cuts is a near certainty. The report has been circulated among DOGE advisors, indicating that action on these recommendations might be among the first moves of the new administration set to begin on January 20, 2025.
• Broader Implications: The article implies that these cuts are part of a broader strategy by DOGE to scrutinize and reduce what they perceive as wasteful government spending, aligning with conservative critiques of government overreach and inefficiencies.