Elon Musk, the billionaire who arrived at Capitol Hill on Tuesday to learn about a new legislative tool — budget rescissions. This obscure tool could give legal weight to his federal budget cutting effort and legitimize those cuts.

Musk attended a lunch with Republican Senators only hours after the Supreme Court ruled against the Trump Administration’s attempt to freeze $2 billion of foreign aid funds in its shutdown of the U.S. Agency for International Development. Musk opened the session with a plea to Congress.

Senators discussed over plates of catfish fried in oil how the White House can put the billions he’s saved into a package called a “budget rescissions” and then send it to Congress to vote on rescinding the funding. Musk appeared to be thrilled, said the senators.

Lindsey Graham, Republican chairman of Senate Budget Committee and Senator from South Carolina, said, “He was so pleased.” “He didn’t know.”

Musk then met with House Republicans in the basement of the Capitol for dinner.

Musk told reporters after the session behind closed doors, “You know there’s plenty of room — and a great deal of opportunity — for improving government expenditures.” “And we’re making progress.”

Senators’ proposal to examine the budget rescission instrument introduced a possible next phase of Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency and comes at a crucial time. The Trump administration is fighting the budget cuts that are tearing apart the federal government in court and in public opinion.

The Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress want to show voters that DOGE is more than just headlines about job losses and disruptions. They want to show them real savings, as Musk’s Team root out waste, fraud, and abuse to reduce the staggering $2 trillion deficit.

The firing of tens thousands of federal employees is also causing protests at town hall meetings of lawmakers.

John Thune, Senate Majority leader, half-joked he was worried that Musk had given out his cell phone number to senators for them to call if they have any concerns.

Thune told Fox News: “I thought his phone was going to blow up.” “He may want to change his phone number.”

Senators have said Musk’s aide Katie Miller will be setting up a line that they can call if they have any questions or concerns about the cuts.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said that senators seem to want “just better communications, wanting to know the next step.”

Hawley stated that “I don’t think anyone in the White House is aware of what will happen next.” Musk’s team, he said, seems to “just go from one thing into another.”

Rand Paul, R.-Ky. introduced the idea to use budget rescissions at the lunch meeting.

I love everything Elon does. “I love what Elon is doing. Paul later said, “I love discovering all the crazy stuff that we spend overseas.”

“But for it to be real, and to go beyond this moment, it has to come back as a rescission program,” he said.

He has been a staunch opponent of federal spending for years, and is a libertarian leaning senator. He has said that he will oppose the federal spending package expected next week. This is necessary to avoid a government shutdown on March 14 when funds expire.

Paul told Musk that, after the Supreme Court’s ruling in the morning, the administration would have to abandon its plans to get federal funds back through impoundments. The courts don’t seem to be inclined to accept legal arguments that are being made against the Nixon-era Impoundment Control Act.

Paul instead said: “My message was to Elon, let’s forget the idea of impoundment and send it back in a revocation.”

Senators were unsure of the size of the rescission package — Paul suggested multiple packages with at least $100 billion federal cuts — and how quickly they would vote if White House sent them to Capitol Hill.

Musk told lawmakers that he believes DOGE will save the federal government $1 trillion this year.

Thune and other GOP officials did not immediately comment on the plans to revoke them.

Musk only briefly mentioned the idea at a meeting with House Republicans. They said that Musk mostly provided specific examples of problems he found.

Musk told House Republicans that he is not responsible for firing Department of Veterans Affairs employees or anyone else, but said the decisions are made by specific agencies.

“Elon doesn’t fire people,” Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., said afterward. It’s not Elon. It’s the agencies.

It may be easier to say than do. While a rescission plan can be approved by the Senate with a simple majority, a faster process would allow the Republican majority the opportunity to avoid a possible filibuster from Democrats.

Senate Appropriations Committee members are likely to be against spending cuts, which would go against the legislation they have already approved for funding the government. This is also true of those senators who want to maintain federal funding to support certain industries or programs in their home states that are important to their constituents.

Even if the GOP has a majority, it may be difficult to get all Republicans on board with a particular vote, particularly if Democrats are against.

Graham, Budget Chairman, views the process as “a way for the White House [to] go on offense.”

He said, “We are losing altitude.” “We have to get back into the game on offense. The way to regain altitude, is to vote on the work products — away from personalities and drama.

Musk’s lunch with Musk did not include any discussion of the federal employees who have lost their jobs due to the DOGE cutbacks.

Paul stated that “anytime there is a transition it can be difficult.”

The senator stated that several people spoke out to ensure that “we are not simply getting rid of people we need and that we do not overdo it.”

Paul still said, “We need a smaller Government.” We need fewer federal workers.”