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House Democrats unveiled new legislation Thursday aimed at preventing Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive taxpayer and financial data through the federal government’s payment system.
The Taxpayer Data Protection Act, introduced by Reps. Haley Stevens (D-MI) and Sean Casten (D-IL), would impose strict security clearance requirements, cybersecurity training mandates, and financial conflict-of-interest rules for anyone accessing the Treasury Department’s systems. Violations would carry criminal penalties.
Democrats Sound the Alarm on Musk’s Influence
At a Capitol Hill news conference, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) denounced Musk’s expanding role in the Trump administration, warning of severe privacy risks for millions of Americans.
“Elon can buy a lot. He’s the richest man in the world,” Clark said. “But the American people and their security are not for sale.”
Jeffries accused Musk of being the “puppet master” behind House Republicans and vowed to use every available tool to protect Americans from “this Republican billionaires-first agenda.”
The legislation faces an uphill battle in the Republican-controlled House and Senate, with Democrats needing at least three GOP votes for passage. Jeffries expressed optimism that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) would introduce a companion bill in the Senate.
Concerns Over Constitutional Violations
Rep. Casten characterized Musk’s role in DOGE as part of an illegal constitutional crisis, arguing that unprosecuted actions have already compromised millions of Americans’ privacy and data security.
“The actions that Musk and his IT goons have taken—they’re illegal, they’re clearly illegal,” Casten said. “But so far, no one has been held accountable.”
Rep. Stevens, a former Treasury Department official under President Obama, warned that the situation was even more dire than many Americans realized.
“Musk and DOGE are infiltrating federal agencies in ways we’ve never seen before,” Stevens said. “This bill is a necessary safeguard.”
Democrats Struggle for a Strategy Against Musk and Trump
Despite their strong rhetoric, Democrats privately acknowledge the difficulty of passing the bill with Republicans in control of both chambers. Several lawmakers have reportedly urged Jeffries to prioritize economic issues over fights with Musk and Trump.
At the news conference, Jeffries sought to link the debate over Musk’s access to broader GOP failures on economic policy.
“Not a single bill, not a single idea, not a single initiative to lower the high cost of living,” Jeffries said. “Housing costs, child care, groceries, utilities, and insurance—everything is too high, and Republicans are doing nothing about it.”
Calls for Bipartisan Support
At a separate event, Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-CA), a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, called on Republicans to stand against Musk’s overreach.
“We can’t do it alone. The math isn’t on our side,” Sánchez said. “We need a few Republicans who still believe in law and order, separation of powers, and coequal branches of government.”
With Musk’s expanding influence over federal agencies and his role in the Trump administration’s restructuring of government operations, the fight over taxpayer data privacy is set to become a major political flashpoint in the months ahead.
