DeLauro Statement on Weaponization of Federal Funding by Budget Director Russ Vought

**NEW FACT SHEET** RUSS VOUGHT’S MOST FLAGRANT ABUSES OF POWER, IN HIS AND THE GOP’S OWN WORDS

WASHINGTON — House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) released the following statement on Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought’s announcement that he is terminating $2.1 billion in lawfully approved funding for Chicago’s public transit system:

“It seems each morning, Russ Vought wakes up determined to abuse his authority to the detriment of working class families, middle class families, and vulnerable Americans. His latest attack on the city of Chicago illustrates his flagrant disregard for the rule of law and the role of Congress in designating and spending taxpayers’ money while jeopardizing state and local resources that also support our nation’s infrastructure. President Trump and Russ Vought may think that these abuses are demonstrations of strength, but by hurting Americans regardless of whom they voted for, they are only hardening opposition to their lawless administration. If they believe this strategy will weaken our resolve to prevent health care costs from skyrocketing for more than 20 million Americans, they are mistaken. 

“While Republicans may have shut down the government in an attempt to give President Trump and Russ Vought cover to continue dismantling public services, it does not change the fact that a government shutdown affords them no new legal authority. They are not suddenly empowered to fire workers or steal from communities across the country. The American people have seen their all-out assault on federal workers and public services for nine months now. They are not fooled by President Trump, Russ Vought, and the Republican charade.”

Earlier this week, Director Vought terminated $18 billion in funding for New York City’s rail system, a blatant political attack on Democratic Party leaders representing New York, and which will have lasting regional and national economic impacts. He also terminated blue state energy projects, raising prices for consumers and eliminating jobs, at a time when we should be lowering costs and protecting jobs.

A new fact sheet published today by Ranking Member DeLauro details Russ Vought’s long obsession with weaponizing the budget office, dismantling the federal government, and eliminating crucial services that communities rely on, including:

• Cancelling $8 billion in energy projects and freezing more than $45 billion in energy programs, increasing energy costs and eliminating jobs
• Cancelling more than 1,000 National Institutes of Health research grants totaling more than $1 billion, including grants for research on cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, HIV/AIDS, heart disease, substance use disorder, infectious diseases, and vaccines
• Defunding the police by refusing to provide $1.9 billion to state and local crime fighting efforts, making our communities less safe
• Unlawfully defunding the Council of the Inspectors General, a group of internal government watchdogs, in a direct attack on independent oversight designed to make it easier for Trump to break the law
• Lying during his Congressional confirmation and oversight hearings when he pledged to protect investments he has now unlawfully cut

President Trump and Republicans have long supported shutting down the government and Russ Vought’s attacks on public services.In their own words:

• RUSS VOUGHT: “We want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected.”
• SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON: “[Shutting down the government] can provide an opportunity to downsize the scope and the scale of government.”
• SEN. MIKE LEE: “Russell Vought has been dreaming — and meticulously preparing for — the Schumer Shutdown since puberty.”
• PRESIDENT TRUMP: "A lot of good things can come from shutdowns… We can get rid of a lot of things that we didn't want” in a shutdown.”

The complete fact sheet detailing Russ Vought’s years-long obsession with dismantling the federal government and Republican support for this mission can be found here.

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