Data Transparency Essential to Government Reform, Rep. Sessions Says

Improper payments and fraud have historically strained government resources, but smarter data sharing across federal agencies could stop the waste before it happens, said Rep. Pete Sessions, co-chair of the Congressional Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus, on Thursday during the opening fireside chat at the 2025 GovCIO Media & Research Federal IT Efficiency Summit in Tysons Corner, Virginia.

“We want to catch it before it goes out, rather than sending it out and trying to get back the money,” said Sessions. “We find that does not work well, and if we use the knowledge that has been gathered together and share it across government before these payments are made, we will be able to know that, okay, that’s an effort that was worthy. We’ve already experimented enough with it and know it works.”

He emphasized that government efficiency is not a partisan issue, pointing to his collaboration with Maryland Rep. Kweisi Mfume, ranking member of the House’s Subcommittee on Government Operations that Rep. Sessions chairs.

“Government efficiency is a bipartisan effort between Mr. Mfume and myself,” he said. “Virtually out of government, reform and oversight, every single piece of legislation that Mr. Mfume and I have brought forward has been a 48 to nothing vote.”

Breaking Down Federal Siloes

Sessions underscored the importance of breaking down organizational siloes that hinder progress and collaboration, arguing that communication and shared learning are key to increasing effectiveness.

“We cannot become siloed. We have to talk to each other. We have to learn from each other, and there is a benefit of people of goodwill who will try and aim for efficiency,” he said. “No one wants to work for an organization that does not have a strong mission statement, a strong output or a strong reliance upon understanding that we as Americans fight every day to make our country not just to protect it, but to make it stronger and better.”

He also praised the efforts of the newly reorganized Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which brings in private-sector experts to challenge traditional approaches to government operations.

“These are very savvy, bright people, yes, mostly from the outside,” Sessions said. “The people who are out there making the free enterprise system work, we brought them in, and we are challenging them, and they are challenging us … We are trying to work with them, and they are learning and reporting back excellent examples of them moving forward.”

Bolstering Private-Public Partnerships

Sessions reaffirmed the essential role of industry and federal partners in advancing IT efficiency and government reform.

“It is a team effort, and I’m pleased to tell you … the people who are sitting before you will be critical in the data analysis and the architecture and gathering together of things,” he said. “I don’t think any government employee wants to see water spilled all over the place, but it is happening, and we have to be honest about that.”