Beginning next week, Elon Musk’s DOGE team will obtain read-only access to the U.S. government’s Central Accounting Reporting System (CARS). Musk expects his officials to visit Parkersburg, West Virginia, to review financial data while inspecting the U.S. Treasury Department records. The visiting team will move forward despite the legal difficulties and privacy problems cited by employee unions and retired employees.
Musk’s team to review CARS data in West Virginia
Musk has repeatedly sought access to various financial records but has faced resistance from federal authorities. Recently, he was blocked from accessing the Treasury Department’s payment system. However, two DOGE employees, Tom Krause and Marko Elez, have been granted read-only access to the system.
Musk’s team will visit Parkersburg’s Bureau of Fiscal Service building next week to review CARS data. This system compiles the country’s balance sheet and tracks transactions between federal agencies and the Federal Reserve Bank. The Bureau of Public Debt, located in the same facility, manages the nation’s $28.9 trillion debt.
Proposed changes to treasury procedures
Musk announced on X that DOGE and the Treasury Department have agreed to implement specific changes to improve financial oversight. He emphasized that all government payments should include a categorization code to simplify audits. Additionally, each payment should contain a reason in the comment section rather than being left blank.
Musk also insisted that the DO-NOT-PAY list, which includes fraudulent entities, be updated more frequently. He suggested daily or weekly updates to prevent unauthorized transactions. The Treasury Department has not confirmed whether these measures have been officially approved.
Concerns over entitlement payment fraud
The post discussed by Musk presented concerns about fraudulent Social Security entitlement payments. Musk stated that each year more than $100 billion reaches people who cannot prove their identity through Social Security number or temporary ID. Officials at Treasury have indicated that about $50 billion comes from fraudulent entitlement payments which constitute half of the annual payments. Musk demanded instant solutions regarding the matter.