7 months ago
33
(The Hill) - The Trump medication precocious Monday directed national agencies to intermission the disbursement of loans and grants portion the authorities conducts a reappraisal to guarantee spending aligns with President Trump’s agenda.
A memo issued by acting manager of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Matthew Vaeth directs national agencies to temporarily intermission “all activities related to work oregon disbursement of each Federal fiscal assistance.”
“This impermanent intermission volition supply the Administration clip to reappraisal bureau programs and find the champion uses of the backing for those programs accordant with the instrumentality and the President’s priorities,” the memo states.
The memo indicates that Social Security oregon Medicare benefits should not beryllium impacted, nor should assistance that is provided straight to individuals.
The intermission goes into effect astatine 5 p.m. connected Tuesday, according to the memo, which was reviewed by The Hill. OMB whitethorn assistance exceptions for definite awards connected a case-by-case basis, the memo states.
Federal agencies are instructed to behaviour a reappraisal to find whether national indebtedness and assistance programs are impacted by Trump’s question of enforcement orders during his archetypal week successful office. Those orders were related to borderline security, the national workforce, ending the “weaponization” of government, the subject and different aspects of government.
The White House did not respond to a petition for remark connected the memo.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) lambasted the determination successful a connection precocious Monday, saying the intermission connected national disbursements "blatantly disobeys the law" and expressing skepticism that it is conscionable a impermanent hold.
“Congress approved these investments and they are not optional; they are the law. These grants assistance radical successful reddish states and bluish states, enactment families, assistance parents rise kids, and pb to stronger communities," Schumer said.
“Donald Trump’s Administration is jeopardizing billions upon billions of assemblage grants and fiscal enactment that assistance millions of radical crossed the country," helium added. "It volition mean missed payrolls and rent payments and everything successful between: chaos for everything from universities to non-profit charities.”
Trump and his nominee to pb OMB, Russ Vought, person signaled they whitethorn question to grow statesmanlike authorization implicit the agency. Trump has besides talked astir challenging the Impoundment Control Act by utilizing statesmanlike authorization to clasp backmost definite backing appropriated by Congress.
