New 'Pick Up After Your DOGE Act' Mandates Security Audits for IRS, Social Security, and HHS Data Systems

This bill, officially titled the “Pick Up After Your DOGE Act,” is all about transparency and cybersecurity cleanup across federal agencies. It does two main things: first, it forces the United States DOGE Service to immediately report every time they access another federal agency’s computer systems or data. Second, it tasks the Government Accountability Office (GAO) with launching high-priority security audits on the systems used by the DOGE Service and several critical federal agencies, including the IRS and Social Security.

Who’s Been Poking Around? The Transparency Mandate

If you’ve ever worried about who has access to your sensitive government data—like your tax returns or Social Security records—this part is for you. Section 3 requires the head of the DOGE Service to send a full report to Congress and the GAO within 30 days of the bill passing. This report must detail every single time the DOGE Service accessed another federal agency’s systems, networks, or data. Think of it as a mandatory, public-facing log of their digital movements. While the scope is extremely broad—covering any access, any time—the goal is simple: shine a light on inter-agency data sharing and hold the DOGE Service accountable for their digital footprint.

Mandatory Security Check for Critical Systems

The biggest impact of this bill is the mandatory security audit led by the Comptroller General (CG), who runs the GAO. The CG has 60 days to start checking the security of the DOGE Service’s own software and networks for bugs or vulnerabilities. But they aren't stopping there. The bill prioritizes audits for three agencies that hold some of the most sensitive data on Americans: the Social Security Administration (SSA), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Department of the Treasury (which includes the IRS).

If you rely on Social Security benefits, Medicare, or file taxes, this is good news. The GAO must report their findings and recommendations for these three priority agencies to Congress within one year. For any other agency the GAO chooses to audit, they have two years. This isn't just about finding problems; it’s about fixing them. Once an agency head gets the audit report, they have a strict 90-day deadline to fix the security vulnerabilities and software bugs identified. They then have to report back to Congress on the status of those fixes.

The Real-World Impact: What This Means for You

For the average person, this bill translates directly into better data security. The SSA holds the keys to your retirement and disability benefits, while the IRS handles your income and tax data. By forcing a high-level, independent audit of these systems and mandating fixes within three months, the bill significantly reduces the risk of a major data breach that could expose millions of Americans. The agencies themselves—SSA, HHS, and Treasury—will face increased pressure and workload to comply with the tight 90-day remediation window, but the improved security posture benefits everyone who uses their services.

While the bill uses some bureaucratic language (like defining “Appropriate Congressional Committee”), its core is a straightforward demand for transparency and security accountability. It ensures that if the DOGE Service is going to be accessing sensitive data, Congress knows about it, and more importantly, that the systems holding that data are strong enough to withstand modern cyber threats.