After Federal Watchdog Rules Trump’s $810M Funding Cancellation is Unconstitutional, Reed Calls on Trump Admin. to Drop Pocket-Recission and Comply with the Law

WASHINGTON, DC -- The independent Government Accountability Office (GAO) concluded that President Trump’s latest attempt to impound federal funding approved by Congress is illegal. U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a leading member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, stated: “GAO reaffirmed that Congress retains power of the purse and President Trump clearly lacks the authority to unilaterally withhold or cancel this appropriated funding. President Trump must cease and desist with his so-called pocket rescission scheme. The fact that more Republicans are unwilling to stand up to President Trump or call him out for clearly violating the law speaks volumes. The American people deserve better and we need leaders who will defend the Constitution, even when the president of their own party clearly violates the law.” Last week, President Trump announced his intention to permanently impound over $800 million in Congressionally-approved funding that Congress passed on a bipartisan basis to assist immigrants, minorities, and children. Non-partisan officials at GAO concluded the move is illegal and publicly proclaimed on the GAO website that this application of the Impoundment Control Act (ICA) would “cede Congress’s power of the purse by allowing a president to, in effect, change the law by shortening the period of availability for fixed-period funds.”