The mission and mindset of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) marches forward with President Trump implementing a massive spending rescission package called a ‘pocket rescission’.
“The Trump Administration is committed to getting America’s fiscal house in order by cutting government spending that is woke, weaponized, and wasteful. Now, for the first time in 50 years, the President is using his authority under the Impoundment Control Act to deploy a pocket rescission, cancelling $5 billion in foreign aid and international organization funding that violates the President’s America First priorities,” said the White House.
The Economic Policy Innovation Center describes a pocket rescission as “when the President unilaterally cancels appropriations within 45 days of the end of the fiscal year, by proposing a rescission to Congress under the ICA and then withholding those funds until they expire, regardless of Congressional action.”
There is some disagreement between federal agencies as to the legality of pocket rescissions. The Office of Government Accountability believes the pocket rescission are illegal in that they violate the ICA. The Office of Budget Management says, “The text of the ICA places no limit on how late in the fiscal year a President may propose funds for rescission or withhold funds pending Congressional consideration of a rescission proposal.”
The argument over the legality of the President’s action will no doubt continue. Congress could put the debate to an end by simply passing a second rescission package.
EXAMPLES OF WHAT THE RESCINDED ACCOUNTS FUND
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) – Development Assistance (DA) – $3.2 billion
The DA account was established to fund programs that work to end poverty in the developing world. However, according the White House, the account has come to bankroll initiatives that are antithetical to American values and represented the worst of USAID’s woke excesses.
“This account has been used to fund radical, leftist priorities, including climate change, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), LGBTQ activities, and other projects like baking and beauty therapy in Zimbabwe that are of no value to American taxpayers and American foreign policy interests,” the White House said.
- $400 million per year for global climate grift projects like:
- $24.6 million to build climate resilience in Honduras.
- $38.6 million for biodiversity and low-emissions development in West Africa.
- $60,000 for listening tours on local development in Timor-Leste.
- $13.4 million for civic engagement in Zimbabwe.
This account funds the “democracy promotion activities” of the Department of State and USAID. In practice, so-called democracy promotion activities undermine American values, weaken the perception of America abroad, and interfere with the sovereignty of other countries—including our allies.
- $2.7 million to advance “inclusive democracy” in South Africa through the Democracy Works Foundation, which has published articles such as “The Problem with Whiteness,” and “The Problem with White People.”
- $4 million for the New Alliance for Global Equality to advance “global LGBTQI+ awareness.”
- $3.9 million to promote “democracy” for LGBTQI+ populations in the Western Balkans.
This account provides payments for the U.S. share of United Nations (UN) peacekeeping assessments. UN peacekeeping without specific, measurable, and time-bound goals simply does not work. Through America First diplomacy, the President has ended more wars in 8 months than the UN has in 80 years.