Big government isn’t just inefficient—it’s a direct threat to liberty, prosperity, and self-governance. Every agency, every regulation, every unchecked expansion tightens Washington’s grip—draining wealth, stifling innovation, and eroding individual rights. History shows that bureaucracy doesn’t shrink on its own. Reining it in takes bold action—and the right moment to strike.

Opportunities to shrink big government don’t come often. The moment President Trump unveiled the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in November 2024, Cato moved fast—ready to turn this rare chance into real reform.

By the next day, Alex Nowrasteh and Ryan Bourne had mobilized a team of 16 scholars across Cato’s research departments. They weren’t starting from scratch—they were pulling from decades of rigorous policy research, hard-hitting investigations, and detailed plans to dismantle the administrative state and slash spending. In just 29 days (including working over Thanksgiving), Cato produced The Cato Institute Report to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE): How to Downsize and Reform the Federal Government.

It was the first major policy road map delivered to DOGE, and it became the defining document for how to make government smaller, leaner, and less intrusive. The report didn’t just identify waste—it called for deep structural change: eliminating redundant agencies, slashing regulations, cutting reckless spending, reforming entitlements, and challenging the very necessity of many federal programs.

The impact was immediate. Rolling Stone dubbed Cato “DOGE’s unofficial think tank.” The Wall Street Journal called the report “a vision for what real government downsizing looks like.” But most importantly, the administration took notice. Key early DOGE officials and other influential figures—including Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, Dr. Martin Makary, and Dr. Jay Bhattacharya—were already engaged with Cato’s work, ensuring that the department’s most powerful reformers were steeped in Cato’s ideas.

The Vision for Liberty campaign was built not just for generating ideas, but for ensuring our solutions are front and center in the critical debates and in the hands of policymakers who can make a difference. Washington thrives on inertia. Bureaucracy defends itself at all costs. But Cato has proved that with the right research, the right strategy, and the right timing, history can be rewritten.

The window for reform is open. Cato is making sure it doesn’t close.

For decades, Cato has sounded the alarm on the dangers of an unchecked presidency—warning that no single person should have the power to reshape the country with the stroke of a pen. Today, that message is no longer confined to libertarian circles.

In October 2024, Alex Nowrasteh led a cross-departmental effort to produce Cato’s Handbook on Executive Orders and Presidential Directives, providing a comprehensive blueprint for rolling back executive overreach by revoking dozens of executive orders. We continue to argue that the president should not have such unilateral power; however, we recognize the need to work within the system to limit the government’s scope. That’s why we identified so many executive orders that should be revoked, amended, or replaced to rein in government power.

Within 48 hours of his second term, President Trump revoked 22 executive orders flagged by Cato—orders that had expanded federal control over energy; education; diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) mandates; and health care. In multiple cases, his administration issued amended versions, aligning directly with Cato’s recommendations. This wasn’t just a rollback of bad policies—it was a decisive step toward limiting the unchecked power of the executive branch itself.

But our fight against executive overreach didn’t stop there. In 2024, as frustration with unrestrained presidential power reached new heights, Cato scholars provided the intellectual ammunition for real change.

Gene Healy, senior vice president for policy, testified before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs about the persistent abuse of presidential emergency powers. His testimony, backed by Cato’s extensive research, laid out exactly how Congress could reassert its authority and rein in unilateral executive action. That hearing led to Sen. Rand Paul (R‑KY) introducing the REPUBLIC Act, which passed out of the committee in September on a bipartisan vote. The bill would have made presidential emergencies expire without authorization from Congress, and it specifically barred the use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act as a trade-war weapon—what Trump’s doing now.

Cato President and CEO Peter Goettler reinforced this principle in The Hill, publishing an op-ed ahead of the 2024 election titled “Don’t Like the 2024 Presidential Candidates? Let’s Give Them Fewer Things to Break.” His argument was simple but powerful: The presidency has amassed far too much control, and it’s time to return to constitutional constraints. When former President Trump was invited to the Libertarian Party convention, Goettler seized the moment to highlight Cato’s unwavering commitment to principles over partisanship—praising libertarian-friendly policies while calling out where the administration had strayed from a limited- government vision.

The success of Cato’s Vision for Liberty campaign made this level of influence possible. By strategically expanding our outreach and marketing teams, we ensured that Cato’s research, policy blueprints, and reform strategies reached the right people at precisely the right time. Ideas alone don’t shrink government—it takes strategy, execution, and an institution prepared to lead when the moment arises.

Cato’s Congressional Fellowship program offers Capitol Hill policy staff—across all parties and perspectives—a unique, off-the-record space for candid, nonpartisan discussions on today’s most pressing policy issues. As a trusted nonpartisan voice, Cato bridges political divides, bringing Democratic and Republican staff members together to explore common ground and gain insight into libertarian policy and philosophy.

In 2024 alone, Cato hosted 58 hours of in-depth policy discussions with 96 congressional staffers, covering foreign policy, constitutional studies, tax and budget policy, trade, and health care. “I really enjoyed the fellowship and have been impressed how certain speakers changed my perspective,” shared one participant.

With demand skyrocketing, the program’s waiting list now far exceeds available spots. For the 2025 International Studies cohort, 99 applied—but only 31 were accepted. To maintain the program’s hallmark intimate, high-level conversations, cohorts are intentionally capped at around 30.

Through Cato’s Vision for Liberty campaign, we aim to expand our reach and meet the surging demand for principled, substantive policy discussions on Capitol Hill.