The "Reorganizing Government Act of 2025" amends Title 5 of the U.S. Code to allow for executive reorganization, including the elimination of unnecessary government operations and reduction of federal employees, while extending this authority until December 31, 2026.
Mike Lee
Senator
UT
The "Reorganizing Government Act of 2025" aims to streamline the executive branch by allowing for the elimination of unnecessary government operations and amending or eliminating outdated regulations. It broadens the definition of "executive department" and removes restrictions on abolishing enforcement functions through reorganization plans. The act also sets goals to reduce the number of federal employees and ensure no net increase in federal workers or expenditures as a result of reorganization, extending executive reorganization authority until December 31, 2026.
Reorganizing Government Act of 2025: Streamlining or Power Grab?
The "Reorganizing Government Act of 2025" is a sweeping proposal to overhaul how the federal government operates. It gives the executive branch—meaning the President and their team—significant new power to reshape, and potentially shrink, the government until December 31, 2026.
Remaking the Machine
The core of the bill is about making government "leaner." It amends Chapter 9 of Title 5 in the United States Code, which deals with executive reorganization. Here's what that means in practice:
- Cutting 'Unnecessary' Operations: The bill allows the President to eliminate government operations deemed "unnecessary" for fulfilling constitutional duties. What counts as "unnecessary" is key here, and the bill's language is pretty broad. (SEC. 2)
- Fewer Federal Employees: A stated goal is to reduce the number of federal workers. This could mean anything from combining departments to eliminating entire programs.(SEC. 2)
- Ditching Regulations: The bill aims to cut "unnecessary" rules and regulations, aiming to lower compliance costs for businesses. (SEC. 2)
- Eliminating operations against the public interest: The bill allows the president to eliminate government operations that do not serve the public interest. (SEC. 2)
- Broader Definitions: It expands what's considered an "executive department" to include almost any part of the executive branch except the Government Accountability Office (GAO). (SEC. 2) The GAO is the government's internal watchdog, so it's notable that they're excluded.
Real-World Ripple Effects
Let's translate this into everyday terms. Imagine a small business owner constantly battling paperwork to comply with federal regulations. This bill could make their life easier by streamlining those rules. On the other hand, imagine a federal food inspector whose job is eliminated because their agency is deemed "unnecessary." That could impact food safety for everyone. The bill raises questions about the balance between efficiency and effectiveness. It's a tradeoff.
Power Shift and Potential Pitfalls
This bill removes a significant restriction: it allows the President to eliminate enforcement functions and statutory programs. Previously, those were off-limits for reorganization. This means agencies responsible for enforcing regulations, like environmental protection or workplace safety, could be significantly altered or even eliminated. (SEC. 2)
One key constraint: any reorganization can't increase the number of federal workers or overall spending. This is a double-edged sword. It might prevent runaway government growth, but it could also limit the government's ability to respond to new challenges, like a pandemic or a major economic crisis. (SEC. 2)
The broad definition of "unnecessary" operations and "public interest", combined with the removal of restrictions on eliminating enforcement functions, is a potential area of concern. It opens the door to politically motivated cuts, rather than decisions based purely on efficiency or public need. The bill essentially gives the executive branch a lot more control over the shape and size of the government, at least until the end of 2026.