Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that several top Senate Democrats have sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, demanding a meeting regarding Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency's access to federal payment systems at the Treasury.
Schumer emphasized that Secretary Bessent has met with House Republicans to discuss DOGE and should also make time to meet with senators from both sides of the aisle, especially given the deep concerns about Treasury operations under his leadership.
The letter, signed by Schumer, along with Sens Ron Wyden, Mark Warner, Patty Murray, Elizabeth Warren, and Gary Peters, highlights the need for Secretary Bessent to provide more satisfactory responses to their inquiries and address the issues at hand.
In response to the concerns raised, the Treasury Department clarified that Musk aides assigned to the agency have 'read-only' access to the sensitive $5 trillion US payments system. The department assured that no payments have been suspended or rejected as part of the ongoing review.
This disclosure, made in a letter to lawmakers from a Treasury official, marks the first significant attempt to outline the role of Department of Government Efficiency staff within the Bureau of the Fiscal Service.
The efforts to gain access to these critical payment systems, which are vital to federal government operations, have caused unease among career Treasury officials and prompted alarm among lawmakers and former government officials in recent days.
