Sen. Susan Collins blasted the Trump administration after it announced an $810 million "pocket rescission," which she says cancels congressionally approved funds without lawmakers’ consent. Collins accused OMB of withholding funds for months to enable the move and called it a usurpation of Congress’s power of the purse. The Government Accountability Office has concluded pocket rescissions violate the Impoundment Control Act. The largest cut — $567 million — targets HHS services for refugees and asylees, with other reductions affecting immigration, education, housing counseling, DOJ community programs, and climate and DEI initiatives.
Susan Collins Denounces Trump Administration’s $810M ‘Pocket Rescission’ As Illegal Power Grab
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Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, on Friday condemned the Trump administration’s unilateral cancellation of $810 million in congressionally approved funding, calling the action an illegal attempt to usurp Congress’s constitutional power of the purse.
The White House described the move as a “pocket rescission” — a unilateral rollback of previously appropriated funds that the administration said were wasteful or harmful. Collins argued the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), led by Director Russ Vought, intentionally withheld the funds for months to enable the cancellation without consulting lawmakers.
“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.”
The administration’s package targets programs across several federal agencies. The single largest reduction — $567 million — comes from the Department of Health and Human Services and affects services for refugees, asylees and other noncitizens. Other targeted items include immigration-related programs, education and research grants, housing counseling, the Justice Department’s Community Relations Service, and initiatives related to climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
Legal And Political Context
Collins cited a Government Accountability Office finding that pocket rescissions are not permitted under the Impoundment Control Act, arguing the administration’s action amounts to an unlawful impoundment of funds. She said she will work with colleagues in Congress to challenge the move. The action is likely to prompt a political and possibly legal dispute over separation of powers and spending authority.
What Happens Next: Congress may pursue legislative or oversight remedies, and lawmakers could seek legal review of the rescission. The dispute underscores ongoing tensions between the executive branch and Congress over control of federal spending.
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