No images? Click here 27 November 2024Trump pulls the (power of the) purse stringsIn his efforts to drastically reduce government spending, President-elect Trump has been speaking publicly about a little-known presidential power: impoundment. Congress approves the budget each year, but impoundment is when a president does not spend some of the allocated money. He was talking about this power during the Republican primary, but now he has appointed Russell Vought, a key author of Project 2025 and presidential impoundment advocate to head up the Office of Management and Budget. Thomas Jefferson was the first president to use the power of impoundment, but it has not been used by modern presidents due to the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 which says that if Congress doesn’t approve a presidential impoundment, the money is allocated as Congress intended. A challenge of this check and balance would likely go to the US Supreme Court who have recently ruled to strengthen presidential powers. If Trump triggers impoundment, it won’t be the first time. Trump’s impoundment of military aid for Ukraine was a key focus of his first impeachment trial. NEWS WRAPIsrael-Hezbollah ceasefire announced
It reminds us that peace is possible. Say that again, peace is possible President Biden announcing Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire | 26 November 2024 BY THE NUMBERS 5 | Number of Project 2025 picks for Trump administrationFive major nominees for appointments in the second Trump administration have ties to Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s guidebook for a Republican administration. While frequently distancing himself from it on the campaign trail, Trump has appointed two authors of the book to key positions in his administration: Russ Vought for Director of the Office of Management and Budget and Brendan Carr for Federal Communications Commission chairman. “Border Czar” Tom Homan, CIA Director appointee John Ratcliffe and US Ambassador to Canada nominee Pete Hoekstra were also contributors to the book. Vice President-elect JD Vance did not contribute directly to Project 2025, but wrote a foreword for a book by Heritage Foundation leader Kevin Roberts and Russ Vought said he was in “regular contact” with Vance’s Capitol Hill office during the drafting. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Did you USSC?
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