1 day Ago By Tom Abrahams
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A Houston congresswoman told ABC13 that what's happening in Washington is abnormal. She told Eyewitness News that she hopes Congress will take action to balance the authority of the executive branch, specifically the White House and its new Department of Government Efficiency. Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher said she has no issue with cutting waste where it exists, but she believes Congress should be part of the solution and not, as she suggests, on the sidelines.
"What we're seeing right now in the congress is that congress is not doing its job," Fletcher told ABC13. "Congress is not asserting itself against a very aggressive executive branch." She referred to President Donald Trump's fast-paced early weeks in office and the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE.
It's slashing jobs and funding to departments and programs that are outside the norm. Proponents say that's the point. Fletcher, serving her fourth term in Congress, disagrees.
"Certainly, I think we can all agree that government isn't working for everybody," she said. "We need to make some changes, and we need to figure things out. But the way they're going about doing it is not OK.
" DOGE has made enough waves that the state of Texas has its own version of DOGE despite Republicans controlling state politics for three decades. On the background, members of Texas' Republican congressional delegation tell me they're taking a wait-and-see approach- that all presidents appoint unelected advisors- that Democrats are overreacting that despite the shell shock of the drastic moves, Congress will ultimately engage in the funding process. Fletcher worries that won't happen.
"I have said since I've been elected that our district wants government to be efficient, effective, and ethical. And those things are absolutely true. But that's not what we're getting from this administration," Fletcher said.
"It's different than agenda setting. Certainly, you look to leadership and partnership with the White House when they're in the same party. But what we're seeing here is the White House taking over basic congressional functions like congressional appropriations.
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