DeLauro Statement on Trump Violating Court Order to Unfreeze Federal Funding

Violation Comes as Vance and Trump Argue that Judges Do Not Have the Authority to Challenge Trump

WASHINGTON — House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro released the following statement on the Trump Administration violating the court’s order in light of recent comments by Vice President Vance:

“Yesterday, Vice President Vance said, ‘Judges aren't allowed to control the executive's legitimate power.’ This flies in the face of the rule of law and the foundations of our Constitution. Our three coequal branches of government are the Legislative Branch, the Executive Branch, and the Judiciary. Despite what Vance suggested, just like Trump does not control the power of the purse, he does not control the courts.

“But this is not just empty rhetoric. The Trump Administration has violated a court order—proving their blatant disregard for the rule of law. Following the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island’s temporary restraining order on the Trump Administration’s funding freeze just last week, the Court has already found the Trump Administration to be in violation of the order in yet another flagrant breach of our Constitution’s checks and balances.

“According to the new court order issued today, the Trump Administration’s funding freeze is ‘likely unconstitutional and has caused and continues to cause irreparable harm to a vast portion of the country,’ and the court has ordered the Trump Administration to ‘immediately end any federal funding pause’ during the temporary restraining order and ‘immediately restore withheld funds.’

“We are a nation of laws. I implore my Republican colleagues to stand up for the rule of law, for the separation of powers, for Congress’s proper constitutional role, and for the survival of our shared experiment in self-government. The Trump Administration must end the lawlessness, end the destruction, and end the attacks on our constitutional order.”

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