Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) accused the Trump administration of acting unlawfully after it moved to cancel $810 million in congressionally approved funding without lawmakers’ consent. Announced Friday as a “pocket rescission,” the package spans several federal agencies.
The largest share, $567 million, is from Health and Human Services funding for services for refugees, asylees and other noncitizens. The package also targets immigration programs, education and research grants, housing counseling, the Justice Department’s Community Relations Service, and initiatives focused on climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion. The White House characterized the spending as wasteful or harmful.
Collins, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the Office of Management and Budget had withheld the funds for months and argued that the delay was an unreported impoundment that usurped Congress’s spending power. She cited the Government Accountability Office’s conclusion that pocket rescissions are unlawful under the Impoundment Control Act and said she would work with colleagues to address the move.
