CFP: If they actually do it, it will be an act of boldness not seen by congressional Republicans in . . . OK, I can’t think of an example. It’s the sort of thing Newt Gingrich would have done during his days as Speaker if he could have gotten the troops on board, but there were always too many Nervous Nellies to make this sort of thing feasible.
What are we talking about here?
Well, it turns out that after Congress passes, and the president signs, a spending bill, the president can ask Congress to rescind specific spending items. And crucially, Congress can approve the rescission request with a simple majority vote of each chamber. No filibusters allowed. No cloture votes of 60 senators needed. The Wall Street Journal’s Kim Strassel explains that this is authorized under the Impoundment Act of 1974. It’s rarely been used, and in its entire history Congress has only rescinded a meager $25 billion using it. But that may about to change:
It’s called the 1974 Impoundment Act, which allows the president to order the rescission of specific funds, so long as Congress approves those cuts within 45 days. The act hasn’t seen a lot of use in recent decades. Barack Obama never saw a spending bill he didn’t like, and George W. Bush never sent any formal rescission proposals to Congress—likely because he took the position that presidents ought to have a fuller line-item veto power. Many conservatives agree, though Ronald Reagan used rescission where he could and holds the title for most proposals. Even so, the total amount all presidents since 1974 have put forward for rescission ($76 billion) and the amount Congress ultimately approved ($25 billion) remains pathetic.
Republicans could change that. Their control of the White House and both chambers gives them an unusual opportunity to cut big. Under the Impoundment Act, a simple majority is enough to approve presidential rescissions—no filibuster. It’s a chance to take a hacksaw to the $128 billion by which the omnibus exceeded the 2011 domestic-spending caps—everything from carbon-capture technology to pecan producers to the Gateway Tunnel Project to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The political danger here rests in Mr. Trump moving unilaterally, with a rescission package that shames his fellow Republicans in Congress and puts them at greater risk in the midterms. The trick is instead for House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to request Mr. Trump go the impoundment route, or for the White House and congressional leaders to make a joint announcement.
not that it wouldnt be great if it happened. Trump may ask but i doubt it would happen
color me skeptical
“Will President Trump use the Impoundment Act to rescind some of the omnibus spending?”
The biggest thing I love about Trump is he’s a natural born, in your face, smart ass. I’m surprised you even asked the question. But realize this. While he’s fighting that battle he will be searching for an alternative end around. I love his guy.
I love President Trump too, he’s Great. Can you imagine if he had 60 Senators with balls and conviction, and a majority in the House, also with balls and conviction how great America would be?!?! The 2018 midterms aren’t lost yet but we need to jump on this.
Trump should do it and put all the Democrat candy up for recinding. Now the onus is all on Lyin Ryan and Turtle McConnell to get the job done. If they refuse or don’t get it done, Trump at the very least has just further exposed the GOPe as a bunch of backstabbers who don’t care about the base or country.
Short answer no. Long answer, use the damn money to pay for the wall.
Which puts voters in a real bind. To vote Republican and keep the majority, we are essentially saying “yes, we support you and want more of what you’re doing” but to tell the GOP to Fuk off and give the Dems the majority, President Trump gets hurt. I don’t want to stab PDT in the back but I don’t want to support the GOP either.
Why would republicans argue over such meager crumbs?
Approval of a rescission request would require Congress show some guts. Sorry, I don’t think that is going to happen as long as bitch McConnell and lying Ryan are speakers.
The appeasement RINO twins Ryan and McCONnell will have none of it, unless Pelosi and Schumer say it’s OK.
What happened to all that stuff about how Trump can control what gets spent where, because it’s an “Omnibus”, not a “Budget”, and Congress can’t stop him, and that’s what Barky did? That sounded a lot better than having to go beg Congress to do something they will never do with these “Impoundments”.
So tired of all the omnibus, cromnibus, continuing resolutions, sequesters and impoundments. Deliver a budget and a line item veto.
Wouldn’t hold my breath. Look for some cunt like McLame, Flakey, or Gayharam to leverage to their no vote to rescission to curry favor with democrats for a party invite or 15 minutes of ass kissing. There’s no whore like a cheap GOP Congressional whore to fuck up even the most slam dunk of winning ideas for the GOP. Just remember what that piece of shit McVain did for the vote to dump Obamacare. There’s more scumbags like him in the GOP just waiting to do the same thing.
Even if Trump was to do this, and the unlikely event that McConnell and Ryan would bring it to a vote, and the very unlikely event that congress would approve it, dems would immediately find a leftist federal judge who would bring it to a halt, and delay any spending outside the Omnibus until the end of the FY (October), when it would become moot.
But nice fantasy, CFP!