"The opposite of efficiency": DOGE's credit card crackdown is making research slower, harder, and worse

Summary

The Department of Energy (DOE) will cut two-thirds of purchasing card (PCard) holders in national labs as part of Trump's latest attack on science.

Researchers say the move will disrupt workflows, delay experiments, and increase administrative burdens. A technician described the policy as “creating a bottleneck,” comparing it to going “from a five-lane highway down to a two-lane highway... one way in each direction.”

Previously, PCards expedited transactions for scientific projects, but now fewer authorized users and inexperienced staff will slow procurement.

Critics argue the crackdown undermines research efficiency without yielding savings. Some labs already face $1 limits, causing frustration and uncertainty among scientists.