Democratic leaders are claiming that the Trump administration is blocking access to billions in federal funding, which could potentially lapse at the end of the month.
On Monday, Senators Patty Murray from Washington and Rosa Delauro from Connecticut, the leading Democrats on the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, revealed a tracker indicating over $400 billion in federal funds currently “locked down.”
In a joint statement, they noted, “We are just a few weeks away from the end of the fiscal year. President Trump and his administration continue to withhold millions from families, farmers, children, small businesses, and communities nationwide.”
This statement adds to recent estimates from Democratic budget officials, who have raised concerns about significant funding that could impact numerous citizens.
Meanwhile, a senior official from the administration has dismissed these claims, suggesting, “If Murray and Delauro were really well-informed, they would be quite wealthy.”
Outreach for comments was made to the Budget and Management Office as well as the White House.
This situation comes as partisan tensions in Washington escalate, particularly regarding government restructuring initiatives. The White House is also attempting to utilize $9 billion earmarked from earlier this year, along with an additional $5 billion, without seeking Congressional approval.
As the September 30 deadline approaches, Congress faces time constraints to pass necessary funding legislation to avert a government shutdown.
Highlighted in the tracker are significant funding items, including roughly $40 billion intended for foreign aid and development programs that Democrats claim have been canceled or frozen, alongside grants for the transportation sector.
The tracker also notes about $97 billion in FEMA-controlled funds deemed “Frozen,” and mentions that despite repeated requests from Congress, the Department of Homeland Security has not adequately explained the withholding of these funds over several months.
Additionally, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has come under fire for not distributing over 2,600 grants related to vital research, which total around $8.9 billion.
Inquiries were made to both the Department of Homeland Security and the NIH for their responses.
