Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, on Tuesday criticized the Trump administration for what she called an "unlawful" effort to rescind about $5 billion in previously approved government funding.
"Congress alone bears the constitutional responsibility for funding our government, and any effort to claw back resources outside of the appropriations process undermines that responsibility," the Alaska Republican wrote on X about President Donald Trump's push for the use of the pocket rescission to cancel funds for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department without approval from Congress.
She also warned that "unilateral actions" by the Office of Management and Budget could derail bipartisan negotiations, reports The Hill.
"The fact is, advancing the final appropriations bills and avoiding a government shutdown will require a great deal of hard work and collaboration when Congress resumes session next week," said Murkowski, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee.
Her comments came after Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, objected to Trump's pocket rescission move.
The federal Impoundment Control Act allows the administration to request rescissions from Congress and temporarily withhold funds for up to 45 days, but if lawmakers reject the request, the money must be released.
Trump also used the process to claw back about $9 billion in foreign aid and public broadcasting funds with Republican support earlier this year.
Lawmakers from both parties say his latest move is illegal and timed near the end of the fiscal year to cancel funding without congressional input, but Trump officials argue the strategy is permissible, with OMB Director Russell Vought calling it an "executive tool" to reduce spending.
Congress has until Sept. 30, the end of fiscal 2025, to pass legislation to keep the government funded and avoid a shutdown.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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