RismadarVoice Reporters
September 26, 2026
United States lawmakers from both major parties have challenged President Donald Trump’s move to cancel nearly $810 million in congressionally approved spending, raising questions over the administration’s authority to withhold the funds.
The White House announced the action on Friday through a rarely used mechanism known as a “pocket rescission,” targeting 11 pools of funding across several federal departments and programmes.
The affected funding covers programmes across the Departments of Commerce, Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development and Justice, as well as international assistance programmes.
The White House defended the decision as part of Trump’s effort to eliminate spending it considers wasteful or inconsistent with his administration’s priorities.
However, Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, criticised the move and said she would work with other lawmakers to address what she described as “illegal actions.”
Collins has maintained that the executive branch is required to spend money in accordance with appropriations approved by Congress.
Democratic lawmakers also condemned the action.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the administration was attempting to strip funding from programmes supporting families, students, small businesses and health research, pledging that Senate Democrats would challenge the cuts.
Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Patty Murray similarly accused the administration of attempting to bypass Congress and undermine its constitutional authority over federal spending.
The dispute centres on the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 and whether a president can propose rescissions close enough to the end of the fiscal year that Congress has insufficient time to act before the funds expire.
The administration maintains that the law provides authority for the action, while critics argue that using the procedure in this manner effectively allows the executive branch to cancel spending without congressional approval.
The latest dispute comes after the Trump administration used a similar mechanism in 2025 to target billions of dollars in foreign assistance and international organisation funding.
The new funding cuts are expected to face further political and potentially legal challenges as lawmakers contest the administration’s interpretation of presidential spending authority.
