White House Blocks $810 Million in Appropriated Funding via Pocket Rescission
The White House has announced plans to block $810 million in congressionally appropriated funding using a pocket rescission, a controversial budgetary tactic. The move targets health and education programs for immigrants and refugees, including $567 million from Health and Human Services (HHS) and $28 million from HHS research. This action has drawn criticism from lawmakers such as Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee. The White House cited the Impoundment Control Act (ICA) to justify its authority for rescission; however, the Government Accountability Office previously ruled that pocket rescissions are unlawful under ICA if Congress has not approved them before funds expire. This is only the second such attempt in recent decades—following a $4.9 billion foreign aid block by President Trump's administration. The move highlights ongoing tensions between executive and legislative branches over budget control, with Collins accusing OMB of undermining congressional authority.
Topics: congressional_appropriations federal_budget pocket_rescission