Democratic Leaders Challenge Treasury Department Intrusion

Democratic leaders in the U.S. Congress, led by Chuck Schumer, are advocating for legislation to block unapproved interventions by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the Treasury Department's payment systems. The DOGE group, chaired by Elon Musk, has accessed sensitive systems, sparking concerns about democracy and privacy.

Democratic U.S. congressional leaders, spearheaded by Senate leader Chuck Schumer, are set to introduce legislation aimed at preventing unauthorized interference by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in Treasury's payment systems this week, according to statements made on Tuesday.

Elon Musk chairs the DOGE group, which was formed under President Trump's directive to curb governmental fraud and waste. Recent activities by DOGE, including gaining access to sensitive Treasury payment systems, have resulted in some employees being locked out of their computers, raising serious concerns among lawmakers like Schumer.

In a Senate address, Schumer criticized the secretive operations of DOGE, emphasizing that democratic processes should not operate in the shadows and should uphold the rule of law. Joint efforts with House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries intend to introduce legislation that would restrict special government employees and others without clearances from accessing private data, including personal tax information.

(With inputs from agencies.)