Pete Ricketts on DOGE and Federal Workers: Vought, Social Security Staffing, and Nebraska Layoffs
Pete Ricketts voted on February 6, 2025 to confirm Russell Vought as director of the Office of Management and Budget (roll call). Twenty days later, Vought co-signed the memo directing federal agencies to submit plans for large-scale reductions in force and significant cuts in full-time positions under the DOGE workforce initiative (OMB and OPM memo).
The Nebraska senator voted against April 2025 amendments to stop DOGE from closing Social Security offices and to reverse Social Security staff cuts (roll call; roll call). In March 2025 he said of DOGE, "I believe what they're doing is the right thing" (KETV).
In Nebraska, 17 people were laid off at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center (Nebraska Public Media), and the state's Social Security staff fell 13 percent (CBPP).
Pete Ricketts's Votes and Statements on DOGE and Federal Job Cuts
- Ricketts Voted to Confirm Budget Director Russell Vought in February 2025. On February 6, 2025, Pete Ricketts voted to confirm Russell Vought, 53 to 47 (roll call). On February 26, 2025, Vought and the acting OPM director told agencies to plan large-scale reductions in force, list the RIF effective dates, and cut full-time positions (OMB and OPM memo).
- Ricketts Voted Against Stopping DOGE From Closing Social Security Offices in April 2025. On April 5, 2025, Ricketts voted no on an amendment to prevent DOGE from closing Social Security offices, which failed 48 to 51 (roll call), and on April 4 against an amendment for reversing Social Security cuts, including those ordered by DOGE, which failed 49 to 50 (roll call).
- Ricketts Voted to Confirm Frank Bisignano as Social Security Commissioner in May 2025. On May 6, 2025, Ricketts voted to confirm Frank Bisignano (roll call). Social Security pushed out more than 8,000 workers in 15 months, its largest one-year staffing reduction on record (CBPP).
- Ricketts Praised DOGE's Cuts in March 2025. Ricketts said "I believe what they're doing is the right thing to make sure that we're getting our spending under control" about DOGE in March 2025, adding "if we're making mistakes, we'll go back and fix it" (KETV). The same KETV report noted cuts could affect research grants at the University of Nebraska and programs that help local growers (KETV).
What the Federal Job Cuts Mean for Nebraska Research and Services
- Clay Center's meat animal research center lost 17 workers. Seventeen people were reported laid off at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center in February 2025; the Nebraska Pork Producers Association said its research affects all swine producers in the country and that years of research could be lost if projects are interrupted (Nebraska Public Media).
- USDA firings reached work Nebraska producers depend on. University of Nebraska President Jeffrey Gold wrote that USDA termination notices hit animal and plant health inspection, farmland conservation, agricultural research and fire management, with implications for the Natural Resources Conservation Service and other partners in Nebraska (University of Nebraska).
- Nebraska lost 13 percent of its Social Security workforce. Nebraska's Social Security staff fell 13 percent from January 2025 to April 2026, including 12 percent of customer service positions that serve people at field offices and by phone (CBPP).
Frequently Asked Questions Pete Ricketts on DOGE and Federal Workers
What is Pete Ricketts's record on DOGE and federal workers under Trump?
Pete Ricketts voted to confirm Russell Vought, who co-signed the February 2025 order for agencies to plan large-scale layoffs (roll call; OMB and OPM memo). He voted against amendments to stop DOGE from closing Social Security offices and said DOGE was doing "the right thing" (roll call; KETV). Nebraska lost 17 workers at the Clay Center research station and 13 percent of its Social Security staff (Nebraska Public Media; CBPP).
What did Pete Ricketts say about DOGE?
Pete Ricketts said in March 2025, "I believe what they're doing is the right thing to make sure that we're getting our spending under control," while acknowledging "if we're making mistakes, we'll go back and fix it" (KETV).
How have federal job cuts under Pete Ricketts affected Nebraska?
Pete Ricketts voted to confirm the budget director who directed agencies to plan layoffs, and 17 people were laid off at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Nebraska, in February 2025 (roll call; Nebraska Public Media).
Last updated: 2026-10-28