Hinson defended the “Department of Government Efficiency” and was a member of the DOGE caucus. DOGE-driven cuts and downsizing were affecting the federal government’s ability to deliver services to seniors. More than 701,239 Iowans relied on Social Security benefits.
DOGE-driven cuts were making it difficult for Iowa veterans to receive care. DOGE-driven cuts led to layoffsacrossIowa. DOGE-driven cuts led to cancelled grants for research in Iowa’s higher educational institutions.
[AUDIO] Hinson Claimed That DOGE Was “Exposing All These Really Terrible Things That Taxpayer Money Has Been Spent On.” “You know, I think DOGE is doing what DOGE does well, which is exposing all these really terrible things that taxpayer money has been spent on. And yet the Democrats want to double down on business as usual.” [Jason In The House, 3/9/25]
Hinson Defended DOGE And Claimed That Money Saved Could Be “Redirected Toward Economic Channels.” According to Iowa Public Radio, “Hinson also reiterated her defense of the Department of Government Efficiency, saying that the money saved on government expenditures could be meaningfully redirected toward economic channels. ‘I would much rather see that go to places that are going to incentivize that trade access and market development, which are going to make us more competitive,’ she said. ‘I think the point of DOGE is to make sure those services are available to Americans long term, and we can strengthen those programs.’” [Iowa Public Radio, 4/25/25]
Hinson Was A Member Of The House DOGE Caucus. According to the Gazette, “ Hinson, a member of the House DOGE Caucus, reiterated she’s committed to supporting Trump’s and Musk’s efforts ‘cutting waste, fraud and abuse so we can sustain the key programs and investments that Iowans do care about.’” [Gazette, 4/3/25]
HEADLINE: "Social SecurityStops 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 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]
Shanon Jamison, A Farmer In Iowa, Was Supposed To Receive A $69,000 Federal Reimbursement But Didn’t Due To Trump’s Spending Freeze. According to the Washington Post, “Shanon Jamison, a corn and soybean farmer in Iowa, learned in late January that her $69,000 federal reimbursement for a cover crop to boost soil health and slow erosion was frozen due to an executive order from President Donald Trump.” [Washington Post, 2/20/25]
Jamison Never Received The Money And The Debt That She Owned Was Accruing Interest. According to the Washington Post, “After The Washington Post contacted the lawmakers’ offices Wednesday, spokespeople said Ernst and Miller-Meeks were advocating for Iowa farmers. But Jamison still doesn’t have her money, and the debt she owes is accruing interest.” [Washington Post, 2/20/25]
Headline: Fired Federal Employees In Iowa Warn Of Bigger Economic Impacts [KCRG, 2/19/25]
338 AmeriCorps Volunteers Lost Their Jobs Due To DOGE Cuts. According to We Are Iowa, “A total of 338 AmeriCorps volunteers in Iowa are now looking for opportunities elsewhere after their positions were suddenly cut. AmeriCorps is a very broad agency that enlists volunteers to assist with everything from education to disaster response. In some cases, the federally funded agency even helped people pay off their college tuition. The cuts are a part of the Department of Government Efficiency and the Trump administration's efforts to reduce government spending.” [We Are Iowa, 4/30/25]
DOGE Shutdown Seven Federal Offices Across Iowa Including IRS Offices. According to Iowa’s News Now, “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.” [Iowa’s News Now, 3/10/25]
Headline: Federal Research Funding Canceled In Iowa Includes Medical, Student-Driven Studies [Iowa Capital Dispatch, 9/16/25]
Seven NIH Grants Were Cut By The Federal Government Which Included Research Into Alzheimer’s And Genomes. According to the Iowa Capital Dispatch, “ National Institutes of Health grant terminations hit the University of Iowa hardest out of the dozens of universities housed in the state this summer, according to a national project working to compile grant dollars that have been frozen or canceled entirely as President Donald Trump and his administration seek to end federal funding for certain research. There are seven National Institutes of Health grants identified by Grant Witness to have seen some funds terminated in Iowa, with only one seeing possible reinstatement. They run the gamut of research — from cancer to cochlear implants, Alzheimer’s to vaccine messaging, genomes to access to research careers.” [Iowa Capital Dispatch, 9/16/25]