House Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., vowed Thursday to restore and even increase funding for programs recently slashed by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Speaking at a Center for American Progress forum, Schumer targeted cuts made to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Schumer claimed that the budget currently under development would undo the majority of the DOGE-led reductions. He emphasized that for many programs, Democrats intend to push for funding levels that exceed previous years.
The Senate Appropriations Committee has already proposed a plan to increase 2026 housing and transportation funding by $5 billion over 2025 levels. Schumer noted that there is significant bipartisan support for undoing what he described as an attack on essential government resources.
The conflict highlights a massive spending divide in WASHINGTON. While Democrats push for restoration, DOGE officials claim they have already identified and eliminated $215 billion in government waste.
Republicans have already made $115 billion of those cuts official through legislation passed last year. They frame the effort as a necessary cleanup of fraud and “reckless” agency spending.
Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., chairman of the House DOGE Caucus, insisted that cost-cutting efforts are still “rocking” in the background. He noted that the 2025 government shutdown over Obamacare tax credits temporarily stalled the next round of spending reductions.
The DOJ is also reportedly reviewing several grant programs flagged by DOGE for potential recovery of funds. Despite these investigations, Schumer and his allies remain focused on a “bipartisan Obamacare fix” and stabilizing the federal workforce.
As the 2026 fiscal year approaches, the battle over these billions will define the legislative calendar. Trump’s administration remains “locked and loaded” to use the rescissions process to fast-track further reductions.