Rep. Bobby Scott to DOL: Has DOGE accessed sensitive data?

Washington — The ranking member of the House Education and Workforce Committee has sent a letter to the Department of Labor regarding the Department of Government Efficiency’s potentially “unauthorized access to sensitive data.”

In the Feb. 21 letter to Louis Charlier, acting chief information officer at DOL, Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) writes:

“Through the ‘Department’ of Government Efficiency, Elon Musk and his staff have gained access to some of the federal government’s most far-reaching and sensitive data systems. Specifically, it is my understanding that DOGE has demanded access to all DOL’s IT systems. At stake are the integrity of investigations into workplace health, mine safety and child labor violations, including the identity of witnesses and workers who file complaints.”

Scott is seeking a response to the following requests and questions by March 7:

• Provide a list and detailed description of the agency databases DOGE has sought or been given access to.
• Have DOGE employees been granted read-only access to agency databases, or do they have the ability to modify the data and/or the underlying software?
• Have all DOGE employees who have been granted access to agency databases been legally authorized to access such databases? If so, please provide all relevant authorization documentation.
• Provide a detailed description of the precautions DOGE or agency employees have taken to protect the security of agency data, pursuant to federal data privacy laws.
• Provide a detailed description of the legitimate purpose(s) for granting access to agency databases to DOGE.

“The recent actions by DOGE pose significant risks to the privacy and security of sensitive data that affects millions of Americans,” Scott said in a Feb. 25 press release. “The full extent of the breaches is still unknown, and I urge agency leaders to provide clarity and take immediate steps to ensure that all personal and confidential information is adequately protected. The public deserves transparency and accountability, and I will continue to press for answers until these concerns are fully addressed.”