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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Trump administration has withheld a substantial amount of federally approved funding, totaling at least $436.87 billion, according to leading Democrats on the U.S. Congress’ appropriation committees.
This estimate, which is the first of its kind regarding the potential impoundments, was generated by Senator Patty Murray of Washington and Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, revealing that these funds are frozen across various government sectors.
The analysis indicates that nearly $42 billion has been withheld from the State Department, including critical support for USAID, alongside over $62 billion earmarked for the Transportation Department’s competitive grant programs.
Additionally, approximately $943 million has been reported as frozen for the Head Start early education initiative, with more than $10 billion also blocked for the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Murray and DeLauro articulated their concerns, stating that “just 100 days into office, President Trump and Elon Musk are continuing their unprecedented assault on our nation’s spending laws, impacting families, small businesses, and communities nationwide.” They further emphasized, “No American president has ever so flagrantly ignored our nation’s spending laws or so brazenly denied the American people investments they are owed.”
Responses from the White House and Musk’s representatives were not immediately available.
The committees plan to make these details publicly available through a tracker that logs the minimum funding the administration is either withholding or contesting in court.
In defense of its actions, the administration has pointed to initiatives led by Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency and the rollback of federal diversity, equity, and inclusion programs as justifications for obstructing legitimate congressional funding.
Lawmakers have expressed that this refusal to allocate congressionally authorized funds represents a significant challenge to the U.S. Constitution, which designates Congress as responsible for overseeing federal spending.
This perspective echoes sentiments expressed during Trump’s campaign and is shared by Russ Vought, the current director of the Office of Management and Budget. Historically, the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized limits on presidential authority to unilaterally impose spending cuts.
The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 established a legal framework for the executive branch to propose spending adjustments through a rescission process that requires only a simple majority vote in Congress for approval.
As of now, the administration has not submitted any rescission requests for congressional consideration, despite ongoing appeals from various Republican lawmakers.
Source
www.yahoo.com