However, over 80% of the federal workforce lives outside the area. Here are four districts outside the area that are facing the most cuts:

VA-02

Virginia’s 2nd District, which sits along the state’s southeastern border with North Carolina, is the GOP area with the highest concentration of federal workers, at 8.1%. It is represented by Rep. Jennifer Kiggans, a Republican, who recently sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asking him to limit layoffs for veterans. 

She expressed concern that finding and eliminating waste could unintentionally harm a key group that Republicans and Trump have vowed to protect.

“We all understand the overarching goal, where we’re going to: again, downsizing, cutting spending. But how are we getting there? And I think there’s just some places to provide a gentle reminder along the way that, please look out for our veterans,” Kiggans said.

Kiggans represents over 30,000 civilian federal workers in Congress and has urged her constituents to stay patient during the cuts.

“I think everybody needs to take a deep breath. I know there’s a lot of change right now. This is the change that Americans voted for in November. So, we’re in a time of transition and if people are having specific questions, please reach out to us,” Kiggans told CNN.

OK-04

Oklahoma’s 4th Congressional District, located in the center of the state and represented by House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, a Republican, has a workforce in which 7.7% is employed by the federal government.

Hundreds of weather forecasters and federal employees with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration lost their jobs last week on Thursday, including employees at the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.

“My staff and I are in contact with the Administration to ensure that they understand how valuable and vital the National Weather Center is — especially with storm season right around the corner,” Cole said in response to the cuts.

In recent days, Cole has expressed some worry about the DOGE cuts, telling reporters that “if you’re making [final] decisions without involving local representatives, you’re making a mistake.”

AL-05

Federal employees encompass 7.6% of the workforce in Alabama’s 5th District, represented by Republican Rep. Dale Strong. The district is home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, which has a historic role in engineering for various space exploration projects.

He has voiced support for DOGE’s efforts. 

“The big thing we’re trying to do is reduce the national debt,” Strong said.

“Some of it will be positive. Some of it might not be positive. But I believe they campaigned on this. They said you’ve got to reduce the debt,” he said. “You look at the money that’s going to these foreign countries that hate America. We’ve got to reel that money back in.”

AK-AL

Alaska’s sole at-large House district, represented by freshman Republican Rep. Nick Begich, has a workforce in which 6.3% is employed by the federal government. He is a member of the DOGE Caucus but recently told constituents he was powerless in the exact cuts being made. 

Begich said he was “not in a position to approve or deny the cuts.”

When asked by a constituent if he would “publicly commit to denouncing the cuts” that affect Alaska and “commit to saying this is wrong,” Begich said he could not.

“I’m not going to denounce all cuts. We have to cut. We’re 125% debt-to-GDP ratio as a nation,” Begich said when confronted by a fired resident. 

TRACKING WHAT DOGE IS DOING ACROSS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

At another recent meeting with state lawmakers, Begich acknowledged that Alaska is the second-most federally dependent state in the country.

“We recognize that Alaska is unique and it is different,” Begich said. “It is harder to provide these kinds of services, particularly healthcare services in Alaska; it’s more expensive, the travel is very difficult, and we need to make sure we have the appropriate level of funding to continue to support healthy lifestyles and people, for their ability, to remain in their communities in Alaska.”