Few would argue that last November’s election did not represent a powerful mandate from the American people for change and accountability within the federal government. The exact nature of that change and accountability has been the subject of considerable political wrangling since. What an honor, then, it must be for Congressman Andy Harris to serve as Maryland’s only Republican representative and sole Maryland-based legislator in the U.S. House of Representatives’ majority party this term. As a life-long constituent of Maryland’s historic 1st Congressional District myself, I would like to take this opportunity to ask Andy Harris to fully embrace his role as both a legislator and advocate for the democratic process on behalf of Maryland’s Eastern Shore and Harford County as the 119th U.S. Congress moves forward in this new term.

Across the first district, known state-wide for its rural heritage and conservative political leanings, you would be hard-pressed to find a constituent who is not in favor of increased government efficiency, proper stewardship of taxpayers’ funds and accountability for waste and corruption. After all, our district does not benefit from the same level of geographic and financial proximity to Washington and Annapolis that many other Maryland constituencies do. Our district is a place that prides itself on self-reliance, a place where you will find communities dependent more on the labor of farmers and watermen than government officials and contractors. These factors considered, I would like Harris, as well as my fellow constituents, to ask ourselves if the current efforts undertaken by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are what we really deserve regarding our mandate of change and accountability within the federal government.

My concerns regarding the actions of DOGE are twofold. The first is that this entity is not providing adequate transparency to Congress or the American people regarding its activities. The second is that it is a mechanism for the House of Representatives to inadvertently cede its Article I authority, derived from our Constitution, to the executive branch. Regarding the first concern, I think it is right for the current administration to deliver on its promises of accountability for federal employees, agencies and departments. But is the wholesale firing of probationary employees and closure of entire agencies without a thorough investigation really bringing us closer to this end? Where are the congressional inquiries regarding these decisions? Given that the House already has a Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, led by Republican Congressman James Comer, why is it not more involved in these decisions? How are organizations that were funded by last session’s Republican-led Congress now losing funds without congressional buy-in? Harris, as our representative, should be diligently trying to find answers to these questions on our behalf rather than allowing DOGE to make unilateral decisions regarding the Treasury and structure of the federal government.

Regarding my second concern, I would argue that allowing the executive branch at the behest of DOGE to impound funds that Congress has already allocated represents a severe curtailment of the House’s ability to control the government’s purse strings. If DOGE or the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform were to conduct comprehensive public inquiries into government waste and abuse, could the speaker of the House, Congressman Mike Johnson, not simply incorporate changes based on these findings into our upcoming federal budgets for 2025 and 2026? This process, after all, would create both lasting progress toward fiscal responsibility and transparent accountability for past waste and abuse of government funds. Furthermore, with midterm elections still two years away, the House has adequate time for a meticulous review and reappropriation of funding.

Harris, as a member of the House’s Freedom Caucus, and residents of our unique district should be among our nation’s most ardent advocates for both government accountability and the necessity of a strong legislature. They are not mutually exclusive. It is evident that the mandate the American people delivered to the Republican Party in 2024 was not just for the president, but for Congress as well. I ask only that Harris advocate for legislative oversight of government reform as the term continues and that he urge Johnson and Comer to do the same.

Will Hopkins lives outside Havre de Grace.