Trump moves to cancel nearly $1 billion in approved spending

President Donald Trump is moving to cancel nearly $1 billion in spending approved by Congress, using a disputed maneuver that Republican and Democratic lawmakers say bypasses their authority over federal funding.

The White House announced the cuts Friday, with the largest affecting services for refugees, asylees and other migrants. It said it would cancel $567 million in spending through the Department of Health and Human Services, along with $50 million for other programs assisting immigrants and noncitizens. The administration also identified $70 million in grants and fellowships it called “Woke International Education” and $56 million in Housing and Urban Development programs.

“President Trump is committed to utilizing all possible tools to cut wasteful and harmful government spending that does not benefit American citizens,” the White House said. The Guardian reported that the administration considers funding for some immigrant services no longer necessary because illegal border crossings have diminished considerably.

The White House plans to use a “pocket rescission,” notifying Congress that it does not intend to spend the money shortly before the fiscal year ends Wednesday. Under the Impoundment Control Act, a president can propose rescinding funds, but Congress has 45 legislative days to approve the request. When a proposal arrives near the end of the fiscal year, the funds can remain unspent until they expire, leaving lawmakers little opportunity to act.

Sen. Susan Collins, the Maine Republican who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, said lawmakers learned of $810 million in pocket rescissions “without warning or consultation.” She accused the White House Office of Management and Budget of withholding funds for months to carry out what she called an unlawful cancellation of spending approved on a bipartisan basis and signed into law.

“Any effort to rescind appropriated funds without congressional approval is a clear violation of the law,” Collins said, adding that she would work with colleagues to address the administration’s actions. The Government Accountability Office has called pocket rescissions illegal.

Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, called the move “theft from the American people.” Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said the administration was “once again trying to steal more money promised to communities across the country.”

The administration used the same tactic last year to cancel $4.9 billion in foreign aid approved by Congress, the first pocket rescission since 1977. Organizations and businesses receiving foreign aid funding challenged that action. The Supreme Court allowed the cuts to proceed, citing the president’s authority over foreign relations, but did not issue a final ruling on the merits. This year’s proposed cuts target domestic programs.