¶ Overview
In 2025, Randy Feenstra praised Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency” as DOGE-driven cuts and downsizing were affecting the federal government’s ability to deliver services to seniors. More than 701,000 Iowans relied on Social Security benefits.
Randy Feenstra joined the DOGE Caucus and promoted codifying DOGE cuts even though it resulted in federal funding cuts to Iowa nonprofits. Inspired by Trump’s DOGE, Iowa DOGE also threatened state workforce programs. Trump threatened the livelihoods of nearly 22,000 federal workers in Iowa as DOGE cuts also closed federal offices in Iowa.
¶ Randy Feenstra Praised DOGE And The Trump Administration Despite The Harm It Was Causing To The Social Security Administration
¶ Feenstra Joined The DOGE Caucus And Embraced Its Agenda To Cut Federal Spending
HEADLINE: “Feenstra Joins DOGE Caucus To Cut Reckless Government Spending And Restore Fiscal Sanity” [Press Release – Representative Randy Feenstra, 12/12/24]
December 2024: Feenstra Joined The DOGE Caucus And Framed It As A Strategy To Cut Spending And Reduce The Federal Debt. According to a Press Release from the Office of Representative Randy Feenstra, “This week, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) formally joined the Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus, which will work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut reckless government spending, eliminate burdensome government regulations, and reduce our $36-trillion national debt. ‘For decades, the federal government has borrowed trillions of dollars and spent recklessly driving inflation through the roof and our country further into debt. To protect our children and grandchildren from inheriting an unstoppable debt crisis, we need to get serious about balancing our federal budget, cutting waste in government, and reversing the rapid growth of our national debt,’ said Rep. Feenstra. ‘I’m glad to join the DOGE Caucus to pinpoint savings for taxpayers and eliminate unnecessary regulations so that we can grow our economy and get our country on a path towards fiscal sanity. As a strong, fiscal conservative, I came to Congress to get our debt under control, lower costs for our families, and stop wasteful government spending – and that’s exactly what I’ll continue to do.’” [Press Release – Representative Randy Feenstra, 12/12/24]
¶ At The Social Security Administration, Doge 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, 6/8/25]
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 Center On Budget And Policy Priorities 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 2025 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 701,000 Iowans Relied on social security benefits
In Iowa, 701,239 IndividualsRelied On Social Security Benefits. According to the Social Security Administration, in 2024, 701,239 Iowans received Social Security benefits. [Social Security Administration, Iowa, 2024]
¶ Randy Feenstra Wanted To Codify Trump’s DOGE Even Though It Cut Iowa Jobs, Threatened Community Services, And Targeted Critical Local Programs
¶ Randy Feenstra Supported Codifying “DOGE Cuts Into Law”
2025: Feenstra Supported Codifying “DOGE Cuts Into Law” And Claimed They Reduced Wasteful Spending. According to Feenstra’s Twitter, “We must codify the DOGE cuts into LAW. Under President Trump, we are cutting wasteful spending and eliminating fraud!”
[Twitter, @RepFeenstra, 6/2/25]
¶ Trump’s DOGE Cut $2.4 Million In Federal Funding From iowa Nonprofits
HEADLINE: “DOGE Axes $2.4 Million In Americorps Funding And 245 Jobs Across Iowa” [ABC News 4, 5/12/25]
May 2025: DOGE Cuts Eliminated More Than $2.4 Million From Iowa Nonprofits And Threatened 245 AmeriCorps Service Positions. According to ABC News 4, “The Trump administration's decision to terminate more than $400 million in AmeriCorps grants has triggered widespread fallout nationwide, including in Iowa, where 11 programs across eight agencies are being cut. The funding loss totals $2,404,333 and will impact 245 AmeriCorps service members across the state, according to internal federal data obtained by CBS News. […] The cuts are part of a broader move by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to restructure federal spending, but local agencies say the impact on community services will be severe.” [ABC News 4, 5/12/25]
¶ Iowa DOGE Sought To Dismantle Iowa’s Workforce Training Program And Undermined Local Control Over Job Development
HEADLINE: “Iowa DOGE Task Force Looks To Eliminate Training Program At Community Colleges” [KCRG, 11/12/25]
November 2025: Iowa DOGE Sought To Dismantle Iowa’s Longstanding Workforce Program And Threatened Thousands Of Local Jobs. According to KCRG, “The Iowa DOGE task force is recommending ending a program run by the state’s community colleges that helps businesses hire and train new employees. For more than 40 years, community colleges across the state have run the Iowa Industrial New Jobs Training program, also known as 260E. ‘It’s a great method of helping organizations like ours here in the state to develop and maintain top-flight talent,’ said Aaron Warner, ProCircular CEO. The program is funded through bonds sold by the colleges. ‘The really unique thing about the program is that the bond is then paid off by the withholding income taxes of those new employees. So before that money comes into the state coffers, it goes to paying off that bond,’ said Emily Shields, Executive Director for Community Colleges for Iowa.’ […] A new report from the Iowa DOGE task force is looking to move that program away from community colleges. It suggests changing the program to a ‘workforce training fund’ administered by the Iowa Workforce Development. The report said ‘bonding as a funding mechanism is antiquated, costly and inefficient.’ Shields said the proposed alternative would be limited. Kirkwood said since 2020, the community college has worked with 52 companies and helped create 2,660 jobs through the 260E program.” [KCRG, 11/12/25]
- Kirkwood President Kristie Fisher Said Iowa DOGE’s Plan Threatened Local Control And Reduced Support For Workforce Development. According to KCRG, “‘It allows businesses to plan for growth and to be able to get some of those funds up front so that they can start training employees and being able to add those new employees,’ said Kirkwood President Dr. Kristie Fisher. […] ‘We don’t need a program that’s run out of Des Moines that decides what the state needs. They don’t know what West Branch needs or Cedar Rapids or Tipton. We’re right here in our local communities. And just like we’re here, we have colleagues around the state who are in their local communities. So I feel like that local control is what allows us to help our local communities thrive,’ Fisher said. And those who have used 260E echoed... ProCircular CEO Aaron Warner said recruiting from Iowa colleges and training and retaining them in the state benefits everyone.” [KCRG, 11/12/25]
- Iowa Governor Reynolds Launched The Iowa DOGE Task Force, Modeled After Trump’s DOGE, To Go After State-Level Programs. According to Iowa Public Radio, “Gov. Kim Reynolds signed an executive order Monday launching the Iowa DOGE task force to find new ways to cut government spending, following President Donald Trump’s creation of a Department of Government Efficiency in the White House. Reynolds said the task force will have three broad goals: maximizing return on taxpayer investment, refining workforce and job training programs, and leveraging technology like artificial intelligence. Reynolds said she will also ask the task force to look for efficiencies at all levels of government. ‘So, we need to work with the federal government. We need to work with local government, figure out how we can streamline all of our processes, and if there’s duplication happening, well, guess what? Then that’s a cost to the taxpayers,’ she said.” [Iowa Public Radio, 2/11/25]
¶ Trump’s DOGE Cuts Targeted 22,000 Federal Workers In Iowa
HEADLINE: “Seven Federal Offices Closing In Iowa Under Doge Cuts, But Savings Remain Unclear” [CBS 2 Iowa, 3/10/25]
April 2025: DOGE Layoffs Endangered More Than 22,000 Federal Workers In Iowa. According to the Center On Budget And Policy Priorities, “In Iowa, home to about 22,000 federal workers, layoffs of dozens of researchers at the National Centers for Animal Health could jeopardize important farming support programs, including livestock disease and vaccine research done nowhere else in the world.” [Center On Budget And Policy Priorities, 4/1/25]
March 2025: DOGE Shut Down Seven Federal Offices In Iowa. According to CBS 2 Iowa, “The federal government is shutting down seven offices across Iowa as part of a broader cost-cutting initiative under the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. The closures, which include IRS offices in Cedar Rapids and Sioux City, are intended to reduce government spending, but inconsistencies in reported savings have raised questions about how much money, if any, is actually being saved. […] DOGE claims on the ‘Wall of Receipts’ part of its website that shutting down the IRS office in Cedar Rapids alone will save taxpayers approximately $174,000 . But across the state, the numbers for other federal offices slated for closure don’t always align with their reported lease costs. Some listed savings exceed the office’s actual lease, while others show no savings at all.”[CBS 2 Iowa, 3/10/25]
March 2025: DOGE Reported More Than $1.3 Million In Savings For Iowa Office Closures Despite Inconsistent And Unexplained Calculations. According to CBS 2 Iowa, “In Sioux City, both the IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are set to close. DOGE lists $126,664 in savings for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, yet records show its annual lease is nearly twice that amount. Meanwhile, the IRS office in Sioux City is listed with only $17,364 in savings, despite an annual lease of $104,000. In Ames, the Federal Highway Administration office is marked for closure, with DOGE listing $847,080 in savings—nearly four times its lease cost of $216,000 per year. In other cases, such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Indianola, DOGE lists zero dollars savings despite including the location on its public ‘Wall of Receipts’ detailing federal cost-cutting efforts. Altogether, the total claimed savings from these Iowa closures amounts to over $1.3 million, yet DOGE’s website does not explain how these savings were calculated.” [CBS 2 Iowa, 3/10/25]