Accusations Trump administration is swinging the axe without approval from Congress
The potential “backdoor cuts” identified by the litigation-focused group Protect Democracy are an example of the way the White House, in pushing to remake the government, is setting aside agreements reached by Congress, which the US constitution gives authority over spending.
It is an approach that has helped to deepen the distrust with lawmakers that has prevented an agreement on funding the government into the new fiscal year that starts on Wednesday.
US lawmakers are also taking notice of the administration’s approach, as senate appropriations chair Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, wrote the administration on Thursday with senator Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, to push for full funding this year – not elimination – of 21 educational and cultural exchange State Department programmes across the world.
This funding was approved in a bill Trump himself signed into law in March.
Today’s News in 90 Seconds – September 29th
The Protect Democracy spending analysis relies on government data for select programmes and is not a full accounting of the roughly $7trn federal budget. It found that more than 62pc of funding approved by Congress this year for reducing substance abuse had not yet been obligated this month to grantees to support prevention, treatment, and recovery.
“These funds are a lifeline for communities on the front lines of the overdose crisis,” said Libby Jones, the programme director of the Overdose Prevention Initiative at Global Health Advocacy Incubator.
The analysis also found that $2.59bn of funding for higher education support programmes, about 82pc approved for these Education Department programmes, was not yet sent to community colleges, nonprofits, and schools for programmes to assist college enrolment, low-income students and first-generation students.
The cuts fall in areas where the administration has already proposed significant cuts
If these funds are not committed by the end of the fiscal year tomorrow, the money goes into a five-year limbo until it can be cancelled and returned to the federal treasury.
The Trump administration came into office challenging Congress’ funding power by freezing spending, pushed for mid-year cuts that were greenlit by Republican lawmakers and argued the executive branch has more power to stop funds from going out the door at the end of the fiscal year.
Cerin Lindgrensavage, a lawyer for Protect Democracy, said the administration’s late-year strategy has “hidden spending that they don’t want to fight about because they know they could lose that fight”.
“The cuts that we have been tracking fall in areas where the Trump administration has already proposed significant cuts for next year, but they’re making them happen now rather than seeking to get Congress to agree to them for the future,” she added.
Mr Trump’s spending delays have haunted Congress’ funding discussions, but now have been overshadowed by the government funding fight.
Republicans in control of both chambers have mostly been quiet on these funding delays by the administration, focusing their attention on accusing Democrats of trying to force a shutdown over opposition to the president.
Senate Democrats are mostly united to use their legislative leverage to push for healthcare fixes in the funding negotiations, but they have also opened up alternative lines of negotiation.
source