Van Hollen Slams Trump Administration for Illegal Withholding of Federal Grant Funds

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement regarding the Office of Management and Budget’s memoranda directing agencies to withhold vast swaths of approved federal funding, including grants and loans.
“Make no mistake – this move by the Trump Administration is an illegal abuse of power, violating Congress’s approval of these funds. Every single American – and every single Member of Congress – should oppose this action, which clearly defies Article I of the Constitution. From supporting our local firefighters and first responders to assisting victims of domestic violence to removing lead in our water and improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay – every day, federal grants provide critical resources to our communities. This action only serves to hurt our communities, and I will fight against it with everything I’ve got.”
If implemented broadly,as written, this action by the Trump administration could block hundreds of billions of dollars in approved funding—sowing chaos nationwide, hurting American families and businesses, killing jobs, and undermining our national security and emergency preparedness.
Among much else, the directives in the memocouldblock funding for: