July 18, 2025
Congress grants Trump power to claw back $9 billion in spending
Congress grants president unilateral spending cuts authority
📜Constitutional Law🏛️Government🏢Legislative Process
The House narrowly passed the Rescissions Act of 2025 by 216-213, authorizing President Trump to rescind $7.9 billion in foreign aid and $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
This marks the first presidential rescission package Congress approved since fiscal year 1999, when it accepted $16.8 million of President Clinton's proposals. The law resurrects a presidential power dormant for decades, allowing Trump to unilaterally claw back appropriated funds Congress already approved.
House agreed to Senate-amended Rescissions Act of 2025 by 216-213 vote on July 18, 2025
The act authorizes President Trump to rescind $7.9 billion in foreign aid and $1.1 billion from Corporation for Public Broadcasting
This marks the first presidential rescission package Congress approved since fiscal year 1999 under Bill Clinton
House Democratic Leader 
Hakeem Jeffries led opposition with all Democrats plus two moderate Republicans voting no
Republicans 
Brian Fitzpatrick and 
Michael R. Turner joined Democrats but fell short of blocking the measure
The bill grants executive branch authority to unilaterally claw back previously authorized funding
Under Impoundment Control Act, presidents have 45-day windows to propose abrupt cuts to any programs
📜Constitutional Law🏛️Government🏢Legislative Process
People, bills, and sources
What You Can Do
1
Contact your representative to ask why they ceded Congressional power of the purse to the executive branch
2
File FOIA requests at OPM.gov for exemption memos revealing how patronage corrupts civil service hiring
3
Track which agencies appear on future rescission lists under the 45-day Impoundment Control Act windows
4
Monitor federal case dockets at pacer.gov for legal challenges to unconstitutional funding rescissions
5
Support H.R. 1656 - Congressional Power of the Purse Protection Act to restore legislative budget authority
6
Join government watchdog groups like Common Cause at commoncause.org to oppose executive budget manipulation