The creator behind the proposal to issue $5,000 ‘DOGE dividend’ checks to American taxpayers has told Newsweek that legislation is «coming very soon.»
James Fishback, CEO of Azoria investment firm, revealed ongoing discussions with lawmakers and expressed optimism that a formal bill will be introduced shortly.
«I have ongoing discussions with folks in the administration, and I’ve had ongoing discussions with folks on the Hill. I spoke with six US senators this past week and continue those conversations to get feedback. And it’s been overwhelmingly positive. The next step is there’s going to be a bill, and the bill is coming very soon,» Fishback told Newsweek in an interview.
Why It Matters
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is tasked with reducing the administration’s operating costs and has dissected several federal agencies to downsize the government.
Fishback has suggested using the savings to distribute $5,000 checks to American taxpayers. The plan, backed by President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, aims to return a portion of the savings to the public, though it remains unfinalized.
Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty
What To Know
«I don’t want to get ahead of our partners on the Hill, but the bill is coming,» Fishback said.
The concept has received some pushback from GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson declined to support a proposal to fund stimulus checks for American taxpayers using savings from DOGE.
«Politically that would be great for us, you know, it gives everybody a check,» Johnson said at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
«But if you think about our core principles, right, fiscal responsibility is what we do as conservatives. That’s our brand,» Johnson said. «And we have a $36 trillion federal debt, we have a giant deficit that we’re contending with. I think we need to pay down the credit card, right?»
Despite Johnson’s reservations, Fishback told Newsweek that he has been in contact with the Speaker’s office and remains optimistic.
«I think Speaker Johnson is rightly concerned about the debt, and so are we, which is why 80 percent of our proposal says that the Doge savings go to narrowing the deficit and paying down the debt,» Fishback said.
He argued that the proposal could help rebuild public trust in the government’s handling of taxpayer dollars.
«Nearly seven in 10 taxpayers believe that their government is not using their money wisely. It’s time to restore the trust between the taxpayer and her government.
«And this is one way to do that. So I think if you zoom out a bit and understand the situation that we’re in, and we’ve shared our feedback to Speaker Johnson, I have a lot of respect for him, but this is something where we are going to have to make the best argument. And I’m confident we will make that argument to him and to congressional Republicans who aren’t yet sold on this Doge dividend proposal by the president.»
The proposal outlines that 20 percent of the savings generated by DOGE would be returned to taxpayers through stimulus checks. According to the DOGE website, with current savings of $115 billion, American taxpayers would only receive approximately $142 if it was distributed today.
While current savings would only provide $142 per taxpayer, supporters argue future savings could reach $2 trillion, allowing for $5,000 checks.
Around 79 million American households could receive these payments, with the initiative aiming to encourage the public to report inefficiencies and further increase savings.
However, nearly 40 percent of the contracts terminated by DOGE so far are unlikely to produce financial savings for the government, raising concerns about the program’s overall effectiveness.
Experts told Newsweek that a DOGE dividend is unlikely under the current economic conditions unless Congress enacts a deficit-financed tax cut.
«The only way we are going to see a DOGE dividend at current course and speed is Congress pretending fake savings are real savings and enacting a deficit-financed tax cut on top of the $4.5 trillion in tax cuts they are considering as part of the extending the 2017 tax law,» Brendan Duke, senior director for Federal Budget Policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities said.
Meanwhile, the DOGE payment initiative faces a new challenge as recent fiscal reports show that the anticipated savings from Musk’s department have not materialized.
According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the federal deficit grew by 5 percent in February, driven by a 7 percent increase in spending compared to the same period last year.
The DOGE stimulus plan proposes allocating 20 percent of the department’s savings to taxpayers and another 20 percent to reducing the national debt. It projects $2 trillion in savings over 18 months, which could deliver $400 billion in direct payments—approximately $5,000 per check—to 79 million taxpayers.
However, the latest CBO data casts doubt on the plan’s feasibility. The federal government borrowed $1.1 trillion during the first five months of Fiscal Year 2025, including $308 billion in February alone.
What People Are Saying
Donald Trump said at an investment conference in Miami in February: «There’s even under consideration a new concept, where we give 20 percent of the DOGE savings to American citizens, and 20 percent goes to paying down debt.»
Duke previously told Newsweek: «A DOGE dividend is completely unrealistic—CBO showed that both federal spending and deficits last February were larger than the previous February, showing that any savings DOGE has achieved are cosmetic.
«Deeper savings would likely not be legal since it is Congress that determines how much federal agencies spend—not Elon Musk or even Donald Trump. The recently passed government spending bill mostly locks in Biden-era spending for agencies across the government including those DOGE has targeted for heavy cuts like the Department of Education. All indications suggest DOGE’s savings are essentially non-existent thus far and achieving actual savings either requires Congressional signoff or breaking the law.»
What Happens Next
It remains uncertain whether Fishback’s proposal will be introduced as a bill in Congress.
Although the DOGE Dividend plan has gained backing from figures like Trump and Musk, it is still in the proposal stage.
Implementing the plan would require further legislative approval, with the earliest potential payouts expected in the summer of 2026.
