Sen. Collins Calls Administration’s Pocket Rescissions Package ‘Unlawful’

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on the Office of Management and Budget's pocket rescissions proposal:

"Without warning or consultation, Congress just received an $810 million package of pocket rescissions from the Administration. This is the most recent attempt by this Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to undermine Congress's Constitutional power of the purse.

"This move shows that OMB intentionally withheld these funds for months to execute this unlawful cancellation of appropriations that were approved on a bipartisan basis and signed into law.

"Not only is the delay itself an impoundment that was not reported to Congress, but also it is a usurpation of Congress's appropriations powers. OMB is an agency of the executive branch. It does not get to decide which programs are worth funding.

"The independent Government Accountability Office has concluded that pocket rescissions are unlawful and not permitted by the Impoundment Control Act. Any effort to rescind appropriated funds without congressional approval is a clear violation of the law.

"I will work with my colleagues to address these illegal actions."

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