I
n a bold move, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene took her crusade against government waste to the streets – or rather, to an abandoned office building just three blocks from the Capitol. The Delivering on Government Efficiency Oversight Subcommittee held a field hearing at the Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building, home of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which has been largely vacant since President Trump's attempt to dismantle it.

    The federal government's massive real estate portfolio is a behemoth that eats up $10 billion annually in operating costs. Greene argued that selling off the General Services Administration's (GSA) properties would help reduce the national debt, now hovering at $36 trillion. However, Democrats countered that the Trump administration's approach was arbitrary and reckless.

    The hearing highlighted the GSA's plans to terminate 7,500 leases nationwide and sell over 500 properties. While Republicans touted this as a necessary step towards efficiency, Democrats pointed out that it would only scratch the surface of the problem. "This is not about cutting waste; it's about looting the federal government to pay for tax cuts," said Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM).

    The hearing also touched on the issue of federal employees being forced back into offices after flexible working arrangements were ended, with many sharing desks due to lack of space. This came as the Senate adopted a GOP budget resolution that could lead to increased deficits.

    As the DOGE subcommittee continues its work, it's clear that both parties are using this platform for their own purposes. Republicans are using individual examples of waste to justify the White House's cuts, while Democrats are decrying the administration's approach and highlighting their own examples of wasteful spending under Trump. The real question remains: will any meaningful reforms come out of these hearings, or is it just a game of partisan one-upmanship?