Another Day, Another Law Broken by Russ Vought

***NEW FACT SHEET*** “Pocket Rescissions” = Line-Item Veto

WASHINGTON — House Appropriations Committee and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) issued the following statement on Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought’s unlawful effort to unilaterally cancel appropriated funding:

“House Democrats are focused on lowering the cost of living – President Trump is actively making it worse. Instead of focusing on improving the lives of Americans, the President's budget director is running around illegally stealing taxpayer funding in a unilateral, partisan act that excludes any cooperation with Democrats. Instead of continuing these unlawful games, Republicans should join Democrats in responsibly finding a path forward to fund the programs and services that address the cost-of-living crisis and support the middle class, the working class, and vulnerable Americans.

“I refuse to label Vought's gambit a 'pocket rescission' because it gives his unlawful attempt to steal the promises Congress enacted an air of legitimacy it does not deserve. There is no inherent Presidential power to impound; for almost 250 years of American history, only a couple of notably lawless executives have tested this theory, and they have been rejected in their attempts by the courts, the Congress, and the people.

“OMB Director Vought presumes he can go around Congress and the American people to assert a unilateral power over spending for himself above all others. The Supreme Court was clear in Clinton v City of New York: Congress cannot give the President unilateral authority to amend the law; if so, it is incoherent to think that Congress could do so by accident, but that is exactly the power which Vought contends the Impoundment Control Act – a law he has said times is unconstitutional – grants to him personally.”

President Trump is stealing from American communities every day by refusing to release funds Congress appropriated that lower the cost of living and improve the quality of life of our constituents. This includes:

• Preventing more than $5 billion from being spent on biomedical research and disease prevention.
• Defunding the police by refusing to provide $2.5 billion to state and local crime fighting efforts.
• Withholding $45 billion in energy programs, resulting in increased utility costs.
• Blocking small businesses from receiving $110 million in entrepreneurial development.
• Canceling more than $1 billion in USDA food assistance.

A fact sheet on Vought’s lies about rescissions can be found here.

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