The Trump administration is moving to cancel $810m of Congress-approved spending five days before the financial year ends. Fair cost-cutting, or an end-run around Congress?
The "pocket rescission" lets the money lapse before Congress can vote on the request. Most of it was for refugee, migrant and noncitizen programmes, plus housing counselling and international education. Senators from both parties, including Republican Susan Collins, have called it unlawful.
What happened
On Friday 25 September the Trump administration told Congress it would not spend about $810m of approved funding. Congress normally has 45 days to consider a request to cancel funds, but with the financial year ending on 30 September the money lapses first. The largest item is $567m for refugee and migrant services at the Department of Health and Human Services; others include $70m for international education grants and $56m for housing programmes. The White House said it would use "all possible tools" to cut wasteful spending.
Why people disagree
Supporters say the president is declining to spend money on programmes he considers wasteful or not in citizens' interests, and note the Supreme Court let a similar $4.9bn foreign aid cancellation stand in 2025. Critics, including Republican Senator Susan Collins, who chairs Senate Appropriations, say Congress holds the power of the purse, and the Government Accountability Office has concluded pocket rescissions are illegal.
What's still unclear
No lawsuit has been reported yet, and the Supreme Court's 2025 order did not rule on whether the tactic is lawful. Outlets also give different totals ($810m versus "nearly $1bn"), and it's unclear how Congress will respond in its next funding bills.
Sources
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