US President Donald Trump’s administration has cancelled approximately $810 million (£665 million) in funding that had been approved by Congress. The White House announced the move on Friday, utilising a rare and disputed budgetary tactic known as a “pocket rescission” to block the expenditure.
The funds, which received bipartisan congressional approval, were targeted towards a range of programmes, including services for immigrants and diversity-focused initiatives. Lawmakers from both major US parties have condemned the decision, describing it as an unlawful overreach of presidential power.
Controversy Over Trump’s Congressional Spending Cuts
The administration’s action involves a “pocket rescission”, a manoeuvre that allows the President to request Congress to cancel funds as the end of the fiscal year approaches. Typically, Congress has 45 days to consider such a request, but by announcing the cuts with just five days left in the federal fiscal year, the White House has made it challenging for Congress to review the decision before the funds expire, according to ABC News.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO), a non-partisan federal agency, has previously deemed pocket rescissions unlawful. The GAO notes that such a tactic “could allow a president to avoid spending the money regardless of whether Congress approves the rescission request,” thereby ceding Congress’s constitutional “power of the purse”, as reported by NBC News. The Trump administration, however, cites authority under the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 for these actions.
Lawmakers Condemn ‘Illegal Actions’
The move has drawn sharp criticism from prominent lawmakers. Senator Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine and chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, condemned the action, stating it came “without warning or consultation.” Collins described the move as an attempt to “undermine Congress’s constitutional power of the purse” and a “clear violation of the law.” She further alleged that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) “intentionally withheld these funds for months to execute this unlawful cancellation of appropriations that were approved on a bipartisan basis and signed into law.”
Democratic Senator Patty Murray of Washington, vice-chair of the Appropriations Committee, labelled the decision “theft from the American people, plain and simple.” She criticised the administration, stating, “Russ Vought’s message to Congress is that your votes don’t count, and your laws are optional.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, similarly disparaged the tactic, asserting that the administration is “illegally stripping nearly $1 billion in critical funding.”
Targeted Programmes and Prior Precedent
The White House Office of Management and Budget described the funding cut as focusing on “the most harmful government spending,” arguing the funds are “no longer necessary because illegal border crossings have diminished considerably.” Among the programmes targeted are those serving immigrants and refugees, including non-profits that support unaccompanied minors. Other affected areas include housing counselling, programmes for bringing foreign students and faculty to US academic institutions, and the Community Relations Services, a Justice Department subagency established by the Civil Rights Act.
This is not the first time the Trump administration has employed a pocket rescission. A year ago, the President blocked $4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid. While the US Supreme Court declined to block those rescissions, citing the President’s authority over foreign affairs, it clarified that its order should not be seen as a final determination on the merits of the rescission.
