Previously posted at The Daily Caller – https://ijr.com/trump-may-have-secret-weapon-to-ram-doge-cuts-past-timid-gop-senators/
The White House might leverage an obscure procedural tool to push through billions in spending cuts identified by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) without the help of Congress.
In June, the GOP-controlled House approved a $9.4 billion rescissions package to reduce wasteful spending, but Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins of Maine has signaled skepticism of the package. However, a little-known mechanism known as a “pocket rescission” could allow the administration to implement tens of billions in additional cuts outlined by DOGE, all without requiring explicit approval from Congress.
Under the Impoundment Control Act (ICA) of 1974, the president can request the rescission of funds that Congress previously appropriated, effectively freezing those funds while Congress is given 45 days to approve or reject the request. A pocket rescission is a rescission request made with less than 45 days left in the fiscal year, causing any unspent funds to automatically expire because most federal funds cannot carry over into the next fiscal year.
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought, who held the same role under the first Trump administration, has long advocated for the use of a pocket rescission. He and proponents of the approach cite the precedent set in 1975 by then-President Gerald Ford, though it has not been attempted since then.
To read more, click here: https://ijr.com/trump-may-have-secret-weapon-to-ram-doge-cuts-past-timid-gop-senators/
