Boyle Statement on White House Attempt to Pause Federal Funding

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee, released the following statement in response to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memo M-25-13 ordering a wide-ranging pause for federal grants and loans: 

“This outrageous directive from the Trump White House is a direct attack on the American people. It jeopardizes critical programs that millions of families and countless communities depend on—programs that fund healthcare, education, infrastructure, and public safety. By recklessly halting these funds, the administration is not just sowing chaos—it is actively hurting the very people it is supposed to serve. 

We cannot trust this administration’s dubious claims that this pause is temporary. Right now, Senate Republicans are rushing to confirm Russell Vought as OMB Director—a nominee who has repeatedly promoted radical, unconstitutional theories suggesting the President can unlawfully withhold funding already approved by Congress. This is the same playbook they’ve used before, and we know exactly where it leads: flagrant violations of the law and blatant disregard for Congress’s constitutional authority over federal spending. 

Let me be clear: Congress holds the power of the purse. Much of the funding the administration seeks to pause was approved on a bipartisan basis. Distributing this funding to the American people is a legal requirement. I am calling on the administration to immediately reverse this action. Anything less is a betrayal of the hardworking American families and communities that rely on these vital resources.” 

The Democratic Staff of the House Budget Committee previously released a fact sheet explaining unlawful presidential impoundments. The fact sheet details the importance of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 and makes clear that the power of the purse rests solely with Congress. 

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