The U.S. Supreme Court
declined a request by the Trump administration on Wednesday to void an order by a Biden judge to pay roughly $2 billion to foreign aid organizations.
Justice Samuel Alito noted in his dissenting opinion that he was “stunned” that the majority — which included Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett — apparently thinks that a “single district-court judge who likely lacks the jurisdiction [has] the unchecked power to compel the Government of the United States to pay out (and probably lose forever) 2 billion taxpayer dollars.”
‘Let’s get over the impoundment idea.’
Facing the prospect of more judicial activism and overreach, Republican lawmakers suggested to Elon Musk during a closed-door meeting Wednesday that there is a way the White House can ensure further DOGE-championed spending cuts and federal workforce reductions are successful: a rescission package.
The catch, however, is that the White House will need virtually all Senate Republicans to be on board — something President Donald Trump couldn’t count on the last time around and may not want to bank on now.
When the first Trump administration sent Congress a $15.4 billion rescissions request in 2018, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and former Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) joined Democrats in voting against the cuts, sinking the bill. CNN noted at the time that Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a nominal Republican who has proven more than willing to work against Trump, nearly voted against the bill as well, stating, “I don’t support any of this.”
Citing the Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling on Wednesday and its implications for Trump’s
impoundment authority — the president’s ability to delay or avoid spending funds appropriated by Congress — Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told reporters after the meeting, “To make it real, to make it go beyond the moment of the day, it needs to come back in the form of a rescission package,” reported The Hill.
“I love all the stuff they’re doing, but we got to vote on it. My message to Elon was: Let’s get over the impoundment idea and let’s send it back as a rescission package,” continued Paul, who Roll Call
indicated asked Musk to consider a rescissions bill of at least $100 billion.
‘Certainly a possibility and one that we would entertain.’
To execute a rescission — a
presidential tool under the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Act of 1974 — the president must identify an appropriated federal program he feels should undergo a budget reduction or elimination, then notify both houses of Congress specifying the amounts he would like rescinded, the impacted agencies or programs, the reasons for rescission, and other relevant details.
The House and the Senate, now both controlled by Republicans, then have 45 days to vote on whether to proceed with the proposed rescission. All that is needed is a simple majority vote in both chambers.
Senate Republicans indicated that Musk was “elated” by Paul’s indication that the process of rescission would circumvent the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster,
reported Reuters.
Every president from Gerald Ford to Bill Clinton
successfully rescinded funds.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), chairman of the Senate Budget Committee,
noted on X, “It is now time for the White House to put together a rescissions package so that Congress can turn DOGE’s work product into law and save money for the American people.”
“Elon seemed to be very enthusiastic over the prospect of a rescissions package — I couldn’t agree more.” added Graham.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) reportedly expressed an openness to a rescissions bill, noting that it is “certainly a possibility and one that we would entertain, if it’s appropriate.”
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Senate, House, Rescissions, Impoundment, Rand paul, Elon musk, Funding, Cuts, Federal cuts, Donald trump, Amir, Supreme court, Politics
