In 2024, the Veterans’ Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996 accounted for nearly $120 million in government funds despite its appropriations being authorized through 1998

Summary

Vivek Ramaswamy, recently appointed to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has proposed defunding federal programs that lack current congressional authorization.

This could affect programs like veterans’ healthcare, NASA, and early education initiatives, which still receive funding despite expired authorizations.

Ramaswamy argues that cutting these programs could save billions, and he’s committed to targeting expenditures that “don’t advance the interests of American citizens.”

DOGE, co-led by Elon Musk, aims to curb government spending, with Musk estimating potential cuts of up to $2 trillion.

  • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    7·
    6 days ago

    So, it is likely that this is all about Ramaswamy’s total ignorance of how Congress works. Which tracks pretty well with what this DOGE is all about

    How Congress worked.

    • dhork@lemmy.worldEnglish
      6·
      6 days ago

      It still works that way, until the rules change. Republicans have the votes to change how Congress works, if they act in unison. But they will have just a slim a margin as last time, and they had trouble electing a Speaker. Even in the next Congress, they needed a secret vote to elect the Senate Majority Leader because they didn’t want any receipts on who voted for whom to make it back to Dear Leader.

      It is possible that the Republican Party turns into a oroboros of spite, eating itself from within because of perceived grievances. That might be the best possible outcome we can hope for.

      • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
        32·
        6 days ago

        Did the rules need to change to allow a convicted felon to become President? Why would they need to change for anything else?

        Fascism means “might makes right,” and Trump will be commander in chief of the US Military. Which, by the way, is larger than the next 9 largest combined (I believe, gonna double check real quick)

        Edit: yarp. Next ten countries combined actually: https://www.pgpf.org/chart-archive/0053_defense-comparison

        • yeather@lemmy.ca
          11·
          6 days ago

          Actually there are only 3 requirements to be president in thr United States. Be 35 or older, be a natural citizen of the United States, and have lived in the United States for the last 14 years. People have ran from prison in the past, and there is legally nothing stopping a person from being president while also being in prison.

          • btaf45@lemmy.world
            1·
            4 days ago

            Be 35 or older, be a natural citizen of the United States, and have lived in the United States for the last 14 years.

            There is a 4th requirement which is that you cannot have engaged in insurrection against the country. Although that requirement is not being followed.