Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Ranking Member Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., is asking 24 Federal agencies to explain how and whether the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and DOGE-affiliated individuals have accessed and used data in Federal IT systems.
Specifically, Sen. Peters wants to know if DOGE and its employees are complying with Federal cybersecurity and privacy laws to protect sensitive information.
“Since January 23, 2025, employees working on behalf of the U.S. Digital Service (USDS), which the administration is referring to as DOGE, have gained access to systems and databases at multiple Federal agencies,” Sen. Peters wrote. “Federal agencies, as part of their authorized activities, collect, maintain, and utilize an enormous amount of sensitive data to carry out their missions.”
“This data can include personally identifiable information (PII) collected from the public, Federal and contractor employee data, law enforcement sensitive data, and confidential commercial information, including from critical infrastructure operators,” he continued. “Failure to appropriately control access to this data creates significant privacy and security risks and may violate Federal law.”
In his letters, the senator is asking the head of each agency to identify all DOGE-affiliated individuals working within their agency. He also wants additional details on their employment, reporting structures, and security clearances.
Sen. Peters also wants the agency heads to name all of the IT systems that the DOGE-affiliated individuals have access to. Additionally, he wants to know whether the systems contained sensitive or classified information, how data was transferred, and which security measures were in place.
Finally, Sen. Peters is asking for information regarding any AI tools or models that the DOGE-affiliated individuals have applied to agency data, including use cases and procurement details.
The congressman wants a response to his letters by April 11. He also sent a separate letter to the Government Accountability Office requesting an audit of DOGE’s activities.
Notably, Democrats on the House Oversight and Reform Committee – led by Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif. – are also investigating whether Elon Musk and DOGE affiliates have security clearances.
The committee Democrats introduced a resolution of inquiry on the matter, which would require the president to submit information to Congress on the vetting, background investigations, and security clearances held by Elon Musk and individuals employed by or contracted with DOGE.