DOGE-OK report identifies $157 million in ‘wasteful’ health grants

The Oklahoma Division of Government Efficiency (DOGE-OK) released its first report April 1 identifying $157 million in “wasteful health grants” from the federal government.

The most waste, according to the report, comes from efforts to survey infectious diseases, test wastewater, modernize data collection and train experts to test and track pathogens.

Programs designed to rein in diabetes, identify hearing problems in newborns and provide sexual risk avoidance education were all identified in the report as duplicative or in need of evaluation.

In a news release, Gov. Kevin Stitt praised the report’s findings.

“Oklahomans work hard for their money — DOGE-OK is making sure the government does the same,” Stitt said. “We all want Oklahoma to lead with common sense and make responsible choices that prioritize citizens over bureaucracy. Congressional Republicans have worked with DOGE on the federal level to make incredible progress, even as Democrats and the swamp attempt to block their efforts. I look forward to continuing our work to implement reforms to protect taxpayers.”

In the release, Stitt took credit for reducing the state employee headcount compared to Oklahoma’s population increase during his time in office, despite the fact that the number of state employees has actually gone up. The governor’s office said the number of state employees increased from 30,844 to 31,664.

Democratic leaders react

House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt and Assistant Senate Democratic Leader Carri Hicks issued the following statements after DOGEOK identified $157 million in federal health grants for Oklahoma it claimed were unnecessary.

• House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson: “ This report is extremely concerning when considering Oklahomans and the services they need. Oklahoma receives almost half of its funding from federal grants that go toward state agencies that work to serve Oklahomans who need it most. The report also gives a vague justification for each cut made that does not do Oklahomans justice in terms of transparency and accountability. If we really wanted to give Oklahomans what they deserve, we would figure out a path to reallocate those federal grants to use in areas our state desperately needs, not just sending them back to the federal government. We need affordable housing, accessible healthcare, new roads and bridges, and funding for our public schools— just to name a few. If we want to give taxpayers a break, we need to make sure their tax dollars are going toward services they need. What about the taxpayer-funded lawsuit currently being put forth by the State Superintendent? There are better places to look for inefficient spending of tax dollars. I am also concerned about the firing of state employees who work hard to serve Oklahomans and are plugged into the real issues Oklahomans face as they deal with it on a daily basis. We need to put the needs of Oklahomans first instead of placating the president and his administration.”

• Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt: “I stand with Oklahomans who are outraged that politicians are shipping their hard-earned tax dollars back to Washington, D.C., where they will no doubt be spent in other states, instead of being invested in our communities helping Oklahoma families. Oklahoma families are waiting too long for medical care they can’t afford, and many are dying of preventable diseases. We remain committed to solving real problems and putting people over politics. We call on our Republican colleagues to do the same.”

• Assistant Senate Democratic Leader Carri Hicks: “Oklahoma ranks among the worst in the nation for key health outcomes. Our hospitals are closing, our physician shortage is deepening, and too many families are struggling to access care. Instead of using our own federal tax dollars to address these challenges, we’re choosing to leave them on the table, ensuring that our state’s health crisis remains just that – a crisis. This isn’t leadership. It’s negligence.”

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