Impoundment of Funds

[Dale]

The Trump Administration is impounding funds voted by Congress, to the point of shutting down entire agencies without Congressional approval. Is there any precedent for this?

For much of American history, Presidents occasionally choose not to spend available funds. Then Richard Nixon started making massive and controversial use of the impoundment power. In response, Congress passed the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. The Act provides that any order by the executive branch to impound funds must be approved by both Houses of Congress within forty-five days. If Congress doesn’t approve or hold a vote, the impoundment order is void. The Supreme Court has upheld the Impoundment Control Act.

Voices in the media say that we are heading for a constitutional crisis. I think we are already in one. What happens when the executive branch collides with the courts?

I doubt if Donald Trump knows any Florida history, but try this. In 1970, desegregation of the public schools was still an issue at times. In Manatee County, Florida, a Federal Judge ordered the School District to desegregate. Claude Kirk, Governor of Florida, was determined to fight the order. Realizing that there was no way to fight the Federal Courts, the School Board and Superintendent planned to comply. Governor Kirk suspended the Superintendent and the School Board and appointed himself Superintendent. This put Kirk in position to defy the Court order.

Judge Krentzman first summoned Governor Kirk, among others, to appear in Court. Kirk didn’t show up. At this point, the Judge held Kirk in contempt of court and fined him $10,000 a day until he stopped interfering. Kirk backed down, and history has not been kind to him.

Will Donald Trump get the same treatment from the courts that Claude Kirk received? Or will Donald Trump receive special privilege?

 

[JimR-OCDS]

President's of the US have the obligation and right to stop funds if they go toward corruption.

Trump is being right as the funds from USAID were used to promote Democrats.

 

[Dale]

President's of the US have the obligation and right to stop funds if they go toward corruption.

Trump is being right as the funds from USAID were used to promote Democrats.

Jim,
I don’t know where you got any of that from. Here are a few facts about international aid programs carried out the USAID.

“ In April 2022, as part of USDA’s and U.S. Agency for International Development’s global food insecurity response, the fund was drawn down by the full balance of $282 million in order to procure U.S. food commodities to bolster existing emergency food operations in six countries facing severe food insecurity – Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan and Yemen.”

“The program was established in 2018 and authorizes annual appropriations of $5 million. In fiscal year 2020, Texas A&M and Catholic Relief Services received funding for projects in Ghana and Uganda, respectively.”

Is Catholic Relief Services part of this “corruption” that you point to?

On the Biotechnology and Agricultural Trade Program:
“The program lapsed in 2007 and was re-authorized $2 million annually under the 2018 farm bill until fiscal year 2023.”

This means that, as President, Donald Trump signed the bill to reauthorize this program.

Here is what the Federation of Farm Bureaus thinks about international aid programs.

“Trade and international aid programs in the Farm Bill provide a critical link to international markets, deliver critical humanitarian support and help develop foreign countries to become better partners and customers.”

“A study released in 2022, commissioned by USDA's FAS as required by Congress ... showed that on an annual basis between 2002 and 2019 ag export revenue increased by an average of $9.6 billion because of MAP and FMD program activities. At the farm level, the MAP and FMD programs led to an annual increase in farm cash receipts of $12.2 billion (3.4%) and an annual increase of $3.1 billion in net cash farm income.”

Source
https://www.fb.org/market-intel/revisiting-agricultural-trade-and-food-assistance-programs-in-the-farm-bill

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Jim,
I don’t know where you got any of that from. Here are a few facts about international aid programs carried out the USAID.

“ In April 2022, as part of USDA’s and U.S. Agency for International Development’s global food insecurity response, the fund was drawn down by the full balance of $282 million in order to procure U.S. food commodities to bolster existing emergency food operations in six countries facing severe food insecurity – Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan and Yemen.”

“The program was established in 2018 and authorizes annual appropriations of $5 million. In fiscal year 2020, Texas A&M and Catholic Relief Services received funding for projects in Ghana and Uganda, respectively.”

Is Catholic Relief Services part of this “corruption” that you point to?

On the Biotechnology and Agricultural Trade Program:
“The program lapsed in 2007 and was re-authorized $2 million annually under the 2018 farm bill until fiscal year 2023.”

This means that, as President, Donald Trump signed the bill to reauthorize this program.

Here is what the Federation of Farm Bureaus thinks about international aid programs.

“Trade and international aid programs in the Farm Bill provide a critical link to international markets, deliver critical humanitarian support and help develop foreign countries to become better partners and customers.”

“A study released in 2022, commissioned by USDA's FAS as required by Congress ... showed that on an annual basis between 2002 and 2019 ag export revenue increased by an average of $9.6 billion because of MAP and FMD program activities. At the farm level, the MAP and FMD programs led to an annual increase in farm cash receipts of $12.2 billion (3.4%) and an annual increase of $3.1 billion in net cash farm income.”

Source
https://www.fb.org/market-intel/revisiting-agricultural-trade-and-food-assistance-programs-in-the-farm-bill

Can a president refuse to spend funds approved by Congress? | Constitution Center

Shortly after President Donald Trump took office, his administration briefly paused federal spending on various programs. Although that spending has been restored, the move led to questions about the separation of powers between the president and Congress.

constitutioncenter.org