Rep. Greg Lopez Draws DOGE’s Attention to ‘Zombie Programs’ Funded by Congress

A report by the Congressional Budget Office indicates these unauthorized programs received $516 billion in funding for fiscal year 2024.

Rep. Greg Lopez (R-Colo.) walks on stage to speak at a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump, in Aurora, Colo., on Oct. 11, 2024. Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images

WASHINGTON—As Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy begin work on their Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, Rep. Greg Lopez (R-Colo.) is drawing their attention to government spending on “zombie programs” as areas to cut.

Zombie programs are federal government initiatives that were once authorized by Congress but for which authorization has expired—meaning that they can no longer operate.