Statements

The Litigation Task Force led 157 House Democrats in filing an amicus brief challenging the Office of Management and Budget’s unlawful freezing of congressional appropriated funds in order to further President Trump’s reckless agenda. Their argument makes clear that the President cannot unilaterally bypass the Congress—and thereby the will of the American people—and withhold appropriated funds based on his own priorities or policy preferences. It also underscores that under the United States Constitution, Congress has the exclusive power to appropriate funds and to make laws governing their use.

House Appropriations Committee and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) called for the release of all frozen funds following President Trump and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought’s decision to release more Department of Education Funds they were illegally withholding.

Today, the non-partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued another impoundment decision. After investigating the withholding of appropriated funding at the Department of Health and Human Services for the Head Start Program, GAO confirmed what we already knew: President Trump and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought’s attacks on American families and early childhood learning programs are unlawful.