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Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) grilled Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on why he authorized Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staff to have access to a sensitive payment system that sends out money on behalf of the entire federal government. This system contains the personal information and financial data of millions of Americans. Secretary Bessent personally granted the DOGE team access to the system. This has been called “the biggest breach of US government data” ever known.

Here is a link to the video, and below is the transcript:

DelBene: One of President Trump's first actions was to put his billionaire donor, Elon Musk, in charge of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency. By the end of Musk’s short, but destructive tenure, DOGE had nearly quadrupled its original budget, lost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in estimated interest and fee revenue, and paid 200,000 federal employees roughly $22 billion to stop working. DOGE was a massive failure. It turns out moving fast and breaking things and having no clue what the heck you're doing is not the most efficient way to govern. Unfortunately, DOGE’s destruction wasn't limited to wasting taxpayer dollars and gutting the federal service. DOGE staffers also abused their position to gain access to taxpayer-sensitive private data. Mr. Secretary, on January 31, 2025, you personally granted DOGE access to one of the Treasury Department's payment systems at the Bureau of the Fiscal Service. This database houses Americans' most sensitive data, including Social Security numbers and bank account information. Shortly after, my colleagues and I requested the GAO review DOGE’s unprecedented access to this critical payment system. GAO completed that report last month, and I ask for unanimous consent to insert it in the record.

Chairman Smith: Without objection.

DelBene: Thank you. GAO’s audit determined that a DOGE employee was inadvertently granted temporary access to create, modify, and delete data from the payment system. Mr. Secretary, you failed to impose basic safeguards that left millions of Americans' personal data vulnerable to unauthorized access and abuse. And so my question for you is, do you take responsibility for that, and what specific managers, if any, have you taken afterwards to protect the affected individuals' data and rebuild confidence in your department's handling of sensitive information?

Bessent: Again, would you care to look up what is inadvertent mean?

DelBene: Did you – Have you taken –  But you're in charge? You are responsible for this. Do you take responsibility for that? Do you take responsibility?

Bessent: I will take responsibility –

DelBene: Okay. And then what has been done to make sure that can never happen again?

Bessent: Congresswoman, it was read only. They had no ability to edit.

DelBene: What has happened to make sure that never happens again?

Bessent: We have, just as we have at the IRS, we have tightened up all protocols on systems.

DelBene: I guess that's not very specific, but the GAO also found that a DOGE staffer sent an unencrypted file containing USAID payment information and individuals' names to external DOGE personnel at the General Services Administration. Soon after, it was reported no disciplinary action was taken, despite the employee's failure to protect federal and non-federal employees' sensitive personal data and comply with security requirements. So, again, Mr. Secretary, when employees who violate IT security rules are not held accountable – what does that message send to agencies? And why don't you hold –

Bessent: Why are you bringing up USAID with me?

DelBene: Because a DOGE staffer – GAO found that a DOGE staffer had payment information, payment information –

Bessent: USAID I do not oversee. I wear many hats in this administration –

DelBene: And this is still – this is a file containing payment information. Are you not in charge also of the Treasury?

Bessent: That has – USAID, that has nothing to do with us.

DelBene: But payment information has nothing to do with you?

Bessent: Again, it was not sourced at the Treasury. Why are you bringing this up with me?

DelBene: So, GAO provided six recommendations to address identified weaknesses, including ensuring staff agree to comply with IT security rules and configuring systems to detect and prevent the transmission of unencrypted payment data. The report states that the Fiscal Service, again, the Fiscal Service – part of your agency – agreed with three of the recommendations and did not state whether it agreed or disagreed with the other three. So, Mr. Secretary, can you confirm Treasury's position? – This is part of your purview – Treasury's position on all six recommendations, and if you agree that they're warranted, please let us know, and if you disagree with the recommendations, please explain why.

Bessent: Again, I don't have a copy of the recommendations in front of me, your office did not share them in advance. We'd be happy to get back to you. That we would obviously agree with the ones where we've already agreed.

DelBene: So I hope that you understand that these are findings from the GAO about ensuring that information is protected. And again we have seen access to taxpayer information. What are you doing to address this? And are you taking responsibility? People don't have faith that access has been given against the law.

Bessent: Well, again, President Trump and his family and employees of the Trump Organization – 400,000 people – had their tax returns stolen at the IRS.

DelBene: You are in charge. What are you doing to prevent that? Americans peoples’ sensitive information has been leaked outside –

Smith: Ms. DelBene, your time has expired.

Bessent: We have tightened the protocols. We have tightened access.

DelBene: And you have said nothing specific of what you've done to ensure –