Amna Nawaz
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WATCH: OMB's Vought does not rule out ‘pocket rescissions’ that sidestep Congress on spending
Posted
June 25, 2025
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June 25, 2025
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5:55Now PlayingRussell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, appeared before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday to defend President Donald Trump’s request to claw back billions in funds already appropriated by Congress.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., asked Vought if he’d commit to not resorting to a so-called “pocket rescission,” a tactic he has touted as a way to circumvent congressional authority to make cuts that the administration is in favor of.
The House of Representatives voted to approve Trump’s request on June 12. Both houses of Congress must pass the request with a simple majority within 45 days in order to grant the rescission. In this scenario, no matter if Congress rejects the request or doesn’t put it up for a vote, the White House could then permanently cancel the funding when the clocks resets for the new fiscal year.
Murray said “pocket rescissions” are something members on both sides have made clear is illegal.
Vought said his previous comments on the tactics have been mischaracterized.
“This should be a yes or no,” Murray said. “What I hear is all kinds of word salad to make sure you are letting us know that you intend to do things that are outside the intent of the law.”
If the Senate approves the rescissions package, which the House approved in June, it would mean roughly $9.4 billion in spending cuts that targets federal funding for public broadcasting, which supports NPR and PBS, as well as international aid programs, such as the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR, among other programs.
The Trump administration, led by the Department of Government Efficiency’s broad efforts to slash government spending, has described the public media system as biased and unnecessary and said the targeted programs in the rescission request promote liberal ideologies, or are a waste of taxpayers’ money.
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