Federal administration pursuing further reductions in international financial aid
The Trump administration has proposed a controversial move to cut approximately $5 billion from foreign aid that was already approved by Congress. This is not the first time the administration has reduced foreign aid; they have already cut billions this year, including dismantling the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The specific programs that would be affected by these cuts are still unknown to those who work in development and humanitarian aid. However, the funds were intended for programs such as U.N. Peacekeepers, development assistance, and LGBTQ awareness efforts.
The administration's latest move has sparked bipartisan frustration among lawmakers, with Republican Senator Susan Collins, chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, considering it a "clear violation of the law." The White House is using a maneuver called a pocket rescission, which allows the government's request to come so late that Congress doesn't have enough time to vote on it before the end of the fiscal year.
The rescission package from the White House is happening so close to the end of the fiscal year that Congress doesn't have enough time to consider it. This tactic, according to Collins, is an attempt to bypass the constitutional power of the purse held by Congress. The U.S. Government Accountability Office also considers pocket rescissions illegal, as the president does not hold the power of the purse.
The cuts are part of a broader battle over who controls the money in Washington. According to Mitchell Warren, executive director of AVAC, the latest move is not about foreign aid, but about who controls the federal budget. The White House official, speaking anonymously, feels well prepared to defend the use of a pocket rescission.
The impact of these cuts would be significant in the aid world, as it represents a large amount of money. There is also the possibility of litigation in court regarding the pocket rescission. As of now, the search results do not provide specific names of members of Congress who have spoken out against the planned cuts.
In conclusion, the Trump administration's proposed cuts to foreign aid are causing controversy and frustration among lawmakers and those in the aid community. The administration's use of a pocket rescission to bypass Congress' constitutional power of the purse is being questioned, and there is a possibility of legal action in the future.
