Department of Interior Overreach: Restoring Constitutional Oversight

The recent developments at the Department of Interior raise serious concerns about constitutional governance and separation of powers. I am writing this letter to urge immediate congressional oversight regarding the unprecedented delegation of authority at the DOI. On April 17, 2025, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum signed a secretarial order granting sweeping powers to Tyler Hassen, a former oil executive and DOGE team member who now oversees key operations across the department without Senate confirmation. This action effectively places unelected officials in charge of America’s national parks, public lands, and treaty obligations with Native American tribes. Constitutional Concerns This order raises several constitutional questions: 1. The Appointments Clause requires Senate confirmation for principal officers. Mr. Hassen now exercises authority comparable to a Senate-confirmed position while bypassing this constitutional requirement. 2. Congressional appropriations powers are potentially undermined when unconfirmed officials can redirect funding without oversight. 3. As conservatives who value limited government, we must ensure proper checks and balances are maintained regardless of administration. Scope of Authority The order grants Mr. Hassen authority to: • Fire employees without Secretary approval • Make unilateral funding decisions • Set policy without oversight • Approve or deny programs independently This represents an unprecedented consolidation of power over 500 million acres of federal land, 400 national parks, and treaty obligations with more than 500 Native American tribes. Call to Action As Republican lawmakers committed to constitutional governance and proper oversight, I urge you to: 1. Hold immediate hearings to examine this delegation of authority 2. Ensure proper Senate confirmation processes are followed 3. Establish clear accountability mechanisms for DOGE officials operating within federal agencies 4. Protect the constitutional separation of powers regardless of administration The proper management of our public lands and resources requires expertise, accountability, and adherence to constitutional processes. While government efficiency is a worthy goal, it must be pursued within our constitutional framework. Doug Bergum and Tyler Hassen — like Musk and even Trump — must return back to the private sector if they want to continue to personally profit off America.