Trump’s $810 million federal funding cut sparks lawmakers’ backlash
Rescissions package would affect several programs and agencies serving minority groups, immigrants, Human Services research programs
The President Donald Trump on Friday unilaterally announced to cut more than $800 million in federal funding used to spend on immigration, education and race that approved by Congress.
On Friday, the White House announced in a statement that "President Trump is committed to utilizing all possible tools to cut wasteful and harmful government spending that does not benefit American citizens.”
In the case of curtailing these funds, the plan would affect several programs and agencies serving minority groups, immigrants, Human Services research programs and the Department of Health.
After announcement, the executive would send the funds back to Congress. The Trump administration argued that Congress has a 45-day time period to accept or reject this decision to rescind funds. This protocol becomes impossible to follow when such actions happen within 45 days of the fiscal year's end.
The fiscal year is going to end on September 30 and the White House will not return until after the midterm elections in November.
However, this move has sparked a backlash from lawmakers who considered this act of cutting funds unlawful. Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine slammed this decision while stating, “I will work with my colleagues to address these illegal actions.”
“This move shows that [the Office of Management and Budget] intentionally withheld these funds for months to execute this unlawful cancellation of appropriations that were approved on a bipartisan basis and signed into law,” Collins wrote in a statement.
“Not only is the delay itself an impoundment that was not reported to Congress, but also it is a usurpation of Congress’s appropriations powers.”
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who serves as vice chair of the Appropriations Committee, called the move a “theft from the American people.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., was also critical of this decision, "With this rescissions package, the Trump administration is illegally stripping nearly $1 billion in critical funding that supports kids, K-12 students, small businesses, and health and clean air research.”
He also declared to challenge Trump’s illegal cuts.
Last year the Supreme Court refused to block Trump from using the same move to withhold $4.9 billion in foreign aid approved by Congress.
