Last night, at the behest of President Donald Trump, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a sweeping freeze on the flow of congressionally approved federal funding.
The decision has had a deeply harmful and chaotic effect already and is an unlawful overreach of executive power that ignores Congress’ constitutionally mandated control of federal spending and undermines the checks and balances that have, for hundreds of years, maintained democracy in the United States.
Several states have already legally challenged the guidance.
Below is a statement from Dr. Pallavi Phartiyal, vice president of programs, policy and advocacy at the Union of Concerned Scientists.
"First and foremost, the original OMB order is unlawful. The U.S. Constitution gives Congress the power to appropriate funds. Funds approved by Congress for dispersal cannot be unilaterally blocked by the president.
“If Congress or the courts allow the president to ignore the Constitution, this freeze would withhold funding from state and local governments, schools, nonprofits, hospitals and research institutions stopping their critical public support and service work in its tracks. The freeze could impact programs millions of people rely on including those carrying out cancer research and studying antibiotic resistance, and those leading disaster preparedness and response efforts.
“This illegal and chaotic move would harm millions of people including the nation’s most vulnerable, proving again that President Trump regards the welfare of his billionaire friends and polluting industries above the wellbeing of everyday people. Congress, the courts, and people around the country should reject this lawless and illegitimate power grab.”