The Wisconsin Assembly Republicans are taking a new step towards reform with the creation of the Government Oversight, Accountability, and Transparency Committee (GOAT). This newly formed committee aims to bring a state-level focus on efficiency, transparency, and accountability, much like the Trump appointed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Committee being led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. DOGE’s primary purpose are to slash regulations, dramatic headcount reductions in the federal government, and identifying waste, fraud that are prevalent in government departments like the defense department that has failed to pass audits. Speaker Robin Vos announced the state level GOAT initiative as part of the Assembly’s committee structure for the upcoming legislative session- with the same vision but on a state level.
In his remarks, Speaker Vos emphasized the Republican Party’s history of driving reform. “One of the things that Republicans have always been good at is reform. The Republican Party was founded as a Reform Party. We were the place 100 years ago where a lot of innovations happened, and we’ve done it ever since. We’re going to get back to our roots,” Vos stated. He also highlighted that the committee will prioritize leveraging advanced technologies to make daily life more cost-effective for Wisconsin residents.
Leading the charge is Rep. Amanda Nedweski (R-Pleasant Prairie), who echoed the urgency of addressing inefficiencies in government operations. “The people of Wisconsin spoke at the ballot box. Voters are demanding less spending and more efficiency from government,” she remarked. Rep. Nedweski committed to delivering solutions through targeted efforts and detailed scrutiny of government operations. “The hardworking people of Wisconsin deserve a return on their investments, and all too often, the State comes up short.”
The GOAT Committee will likely address wasteful spending in key areas such as the University of Wisconsin System, state employee work-from-home post COVID, and programs with minimal returns for taxpayers. Rep. Nedweski referenced concerns raised by constituents about these issues, vowing that the committee would hold agencies accountable. The committee is expected to work with the support of the Legislative Audit Bureau.
