FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2025 APPROPRIATIONS UPDATES:
Click on the 12 subcommittee pages on the red navigation bar, above, for bill language, report and joint statement language, GOP and DEM summaries, and earmarks.
Recent Appropriation Actions and News (see Chron for news archives):
STATUS OF FY 2025 FUNDING BILLS: On March 14, 2025, Congress completed action on a 3rd continuing resolution (HR 1968) funding the government through September 30, 2025 at FY 2024 funding levels, with specified exceptions, bypassing the 12 regular appropriations bills and ceding considerable authority to the Executive Branch. Senate GOP Stmt | Senate Approps Dem Stmt | Sen Schumer Stmt | DeLauro Stmt | Section-by-Section
New – For news on the President’s FY 2026 requests for discretionary appropriations, see our President’s budget webpage: https://govbudget.com/presidents-budget-news/
New – For news on the President’s proposed rescission bill, see our rescission webpage: https://appropriations.com/rescissions/.
House Appropriations Hearings and Markups: Week of June 2, 2025
Tues, May 27, 2025:
Letter from Ranking Members DeLauro and Murray to OMB Director Vought highlighting ongoing failures to comply with statutory budget requirements.
Sun, May 11, 2025:
The hidden ways Trump, DOGE are shutting down parts of the U.S. government; Limits on spending have incapacitated parts of agencies as varied as the National Park Service and the Pentagon. – WP
At the Environmental Protection Agency, according to three employees, research at 11 laboratories has ground to a halt because of a requirement that Trump officials must approve all new lab purchases.
Fri, May 9, 2025:
Senate Dems sound alarm for Meals on Wheels funding – Axios
Thurs, May 8, 2025:
A bipartisan group of House members is drafting a sweeping bill to overhaul the Federal Emergency Management Agency — and in some cases expand its services — in an effort to head off President Donald Trump’s threats to shrink or abolish the agency. – Politico
Republicans miffed with Trump’s threats to ignore funding – Politico
A senior White House official said impounding funds is always on “the table” if Trump disagrees with Congress’ funding bills…. “I’ve got a real problem with impoundment,” Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), who chairs the House Appropriations panel that funds the EPA and the Interior Department, told reporters this week. “That’s like a line-item veto, and I think it’s illegal,” Simpson said.
Wed, May 7, 2025:
Republicans are debating whether to move the $9 billion rescissions package now or wait. – Politico
Fri, May 2, 2025:
GOP balks at rescission bill to ratify DOGE cuts – WP
Tues, April 29, 2025:
100 Days In, Trump Blocks At Least $430 Billion Dollars in Funding Owed to American People –
“No American president has ever so flagrantly ignored our nation’s spending laws or so brazenly denied the American people investments they are owed.” – Murray, DeLauro
Wed, April 23, 2025:
House aiming to consider Administration’s rescission package the week of May 5. – Punchbowl
Mon, April 21, 2025:
House Republican leaders eye rescissions vote in early May – Punchbowl News
“The package includes $9.3 billion in cuts to the State Department, NPR and PBS….The vast majority of these cuts will be on the foreign aid side, making up roughly $8 billion, sources said. Trump has already shuttered USAID, folding it into the State Department.”
Wed, April 16, 2025:
DOGE is focusing this week on National Endowment for the Arts, Millennium Challenge Corp., and AmeriCorps. – Politico
Trump Admin Withholding Nearly $1 Billion in Funding for Head Start—Crunching Centers Nationwide and Forcing Devastating Closures – Murray
Murray, Kaptur Call on Energy Department to Reverse New Indirect Cost Cap That Will Gut Funding for Cutting-Edge Research – AppropsDems
Fed Chair Powell: Cutting discretionary federal spending will not fix US debt problem – Reuters
HHS would be asked to absorb a $40 billion cut, about one-third of its discretionary budget. – WP
Trump Draft Budget Decimates Health Services, Surrenders Americans to Preventable Disease and Premature Death – HseAppropsDems
Mon, April 14, 2025:
White House will send a rescission package to Congress on April 28 that would end funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (that funds PBS and NPR), and cancel funding for foreign aid and the U.S. Institute for Peace. – Bloomberg
White House to Ask Congress to Claw Back Funding From NPR and PBS; Trump administration officials want legislators to rescind $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides some support for public media. – NYT
White House to ask Congress to cut $9B in funds, including for NPR, PBS, USAID – The Hill
White House to send Congress a formal request to nix $9.3B for PBS, NPR, State Department; Republican lawmakers have been clamoring for a rescissions request, to give Congress a say in the Trump administration’s spending cuts. – Politico
Senator Murray statement on Trump budget proposal to fully eliminate Head Start
Sat, April 12, 2025:
Congress leaves town without passing DC budget fix – The Hill
Fri, April 11, 2025:
DOGE takes over federal grants website, wresting control of billions. – WP
“U.S. DOGE Service employees have inserted themselves into the government’s long-established process to alert the public about potential federal grants and allow organizations to apply for funds….
The changes to the process — which will allow DOGE to review and approve proposed grant opportunities across the federal government — threaten to further delay or even halt billions of dollars that agencies usually make in federal awards, the people said. The moves come amid the Trump administration’s broader push to cut federal spending and crack down on grants that DOGE and other officials say conflict with White House priorities.”
Thurs, April 10, 2025:
Senators Collins and Murray Announce the Start of the FY26 Appropriations Process, Releasing Guidance on Programmatic, Language, and Congressionally Directed Spending Requests – Approps
Tues, April 8, 2025:
House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member DeLauro applauds Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) for suing Russell Vought and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for unlawfully hiding the administration’s use of trillions of dollars in taxpayer money, by destroying a website that had publicly displayed all of these decisions, known as apportionments.
Trump is openly defying a law created to rein in his first-term abuses. Withholding congressional funding led to Donald Trump’s first impeachment. Now the White House won’t post their spending moves. – WP
Mon, April 7, 2025:
States caught unprepared for Trump’s threats to FEMA. FEMA is canceling plans to award states grants to help prepare against future disasters. Federal funds given to states after disasters strike could also be in jeopardy. – WP
Top appropriators and authorizers press Trump’s Department of Education for details about its abrupt halt of funding for state governments and school districts that adds a bureaucratic hurdle to reimbursement and will harm student recovery following the pandemic. Letter to DoEd
Friday, April 4, 2025:
Approps Dems demand answers on Trump, RFK Jr. pulling $12 billion from public health – Approps
Trump Officials Have Not Funded Radio Free Europe, Despite Court Order – NYT
The delay in disbursement has forced the news organization, which relies almost exclusively on congressional funding, to furlough some of its staff and cut parts of its programming…. In March, a federal judge in Washington temporarily halted President Trump’s efforts to shut down the news organization, ruling that his administration cannot unilaterally close a news group that Congress established by law.
Thursday, April 3, 2025:
Democrats object to cancellation of Secretary-level appropriations hearings – HouseAppropsDems
Secret Conditions Move from DOGE to OMB – Yale Journal on Regulation
House Dems call for investigation into Energy Dept’s cancellation of awards and contracts – Aprops
Wed, April 2, 2025:
Cole Releases FY26 Programmatic, Language, and Community Project Funding Guidance
Hill seeks backdoor earmarks for $15b in weapons Pentagon didn’t seek – Roll Call
Tuesday, April 1, 2025:
Trump, Musk, RFK Jr. hollow out HHS, Threatening American’s Health and Wellbeing – Murray
Fri, March 28, 2025:
House Ranking Dems Issue Joint Statement on Reported Plans to Dismantle FEMA – HseDems
FEMA has frozen nearly $10 billion in disaster aid for nonprofits including hospitals as it seeks to identify funding that could be used to help undocumented migrants – Politico
Trump endorses Senate-passed budget fix that would restore Washington DC shortfall – AP
Murray statement on Trump and Musk moving to permanently abolish USAID – Approps/Murray
Tough climate for action on FY 2026 Appropriation – Roll Call
As required by law, CBO reports on whether appropriations enacted for the current fiscal year have exceeded the statutory caps on discretionary funding. In CBO’s estimation, they have not, and a sequestration will not be required for 2025. – CBO
Thurs, March 27, 2025:
Top Senate Republican Protests Trump Bid to Withhold Spending; Senator Susan Collins of Maine, the chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, joined top Democrats in insisting that the president does not have the power to “pick and choose” what to fund. – NYTimes
Senior Republican joins Dems in raising alarm over White House’s flouting of funding bill – Politico
Senate Appropriations Committee bipartisan letter to OMB Director objecting to plans not to spend $3 billion in the recent funding bill: “Just as the President does not have a line-item veto, he does not have the ability to pick and choose which emergency spending to designate.” – Collins/Murray
House Approps Ranking Democrat sends letter to OMB Director citing constitutional and statutory violations – DeLauro
Musk, Trump and RFK Jr. announce illegal dismantling of federal health agencies-HouseAppropsDems
Mon, March 24, 2025:
Vanished earmarks in stopgap law pose challenge to local projects’ return; Conservatives emboldened by decision to ax thousands of line items, reduce spending levels – Roll Call
OMB unlawfully hides apportionment decisions – DeLauro/Murray
White House scraps public spending database; Budget office since 2022 has been required to publish “apportionments” data – Roll Call
Fri, March 21, 2025:
GOP push to ratify DOGE cuts with rescissions runs into political reality – Politico
“The administration has privately reassured GOP lawmakers, particularly House Republicans, that DOGE will continue to unilaterally rescind congressionally approved funding whether lawmakers are given the chance to weigh in or not.”
Sat, March 15, 2025:
Trump signs funding bill to avert a government shutdown – NBC
Obituary, Nita Lowey, former Chair, House Appropriations Committee
Fri, March 14, 2025:
Senate passes government funding bill, averting a shutdown –HR 1968 – 54-46 – Politico
Senate GOP Stmt | Senate Approps Dem Stmt | Sen Schumer Stmt | DeLauro Stmt
(Earlier, the Senate agreed to a key procedural motion 62-38 (60 votes required) to allow the bill to advance to a final vote, after Democratic Leader Schumer decided against filibustering. Also, Senate Republicans defeated on party line votes a Van Hollen amendment to cut off funding from DOGE and a Duckworth amendment to make veterans who were involuntarily dismissed without cause eligible for reinstatement and to require reports from agencies on the number of veterans fired.)
Spending bill to avert shutdown headed to Trump’s desk – RC
Senate passes bill to avert $1 billion hit to DC budget; still needs House approval – WP
Schumer, facing backlash for not forcing a shutdown, says he’ll take “the bullets” – NYT
Schumer clashes with colleagues over House GOP funding bill – The Hill
GAO will rule on whether DOGE cuts violate Impoundment Control Act – WP
Thurs, March 13, 2025:
Trump and Musk would love a shutdown. We must not give them one – NYT/Schumer
Fears grow about plan to cut Pentagon medical research fund; CR would trim $1.2 billion from the Defense Health Program, including aid to universities and research labs – RC
Senate Democrats relent on six-month stopgap funding bill; Schumer says as bad as Trump-endorsed funding bill is, a shutdown would be worse – RC
Schumer to vote for GOP bill to avert shutdown; some Democrats bristle at his decision– WP
Schumer will vote for full-year CR, fearing actions DOGE might take during a shutdown – Politico
Democrats clear way for GOP funding bill, ending threat of govt shutdown; party was torn between pushing back against President Trump and triggering shutdown with unknown consequences – WSJ
Schumer to advance GOP funding bill, unwilling to risk govt shutdown as deadline nears – AP
Schumer to support GOP spending bill, arguing shutdown would further empower Trump – NYT
Wed, March 12, 2025:
Senate Dems form plan to avoid a shutdown; Senate Democrats want a vote on an alternative one month stopgap funding bill as they look for leverage against Republicans with two days to go until a government shutdown. – Politico
Senate pushes closer to shutdown after Democrats spurn funding bill – WP
Senate Dems say they will reject GOP’s funding bill as shutdown draws near – NBC
Senate Dems play hardball, won’t advance House stopgap – Roll Call
Republicans bank on Democrats caving in shutdown standoff – Time
Approps Ranking Dem Murray calls on Senate to pass short-term CR, reject House bill
Tues, March 11, 2025:
House votes for $1 billion in District of Columbia cuts while seeking to avert shutdown – WP
CR would provide $1.5 billion for extra, unrequested warship – Roll Call
Sen Murray remarks on House GOP CR – SenApprops Dems
The House narrowly passed the Trump-Johnson full-year continuing resolution (HR 1968) early Tuesday evening 217-213. Bill Text Section-by-Section One Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, voted “yes,” while Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, voted “no.” The measure now goes to the Senate where it is unclear if Democrats will support passage (60 votes being required to end debate and vote on the measure). – Politico
House passes bill to avert government shutdown, sending it to Senate – WP
Senate Democrats leery of blocking GOP bill fear shutdown politics have changed – The Hill
“Now there’s growing fear among Democrats that Trump could feel politically emboldened to let a shutdown drag on for many weeks, and that, in turn, could give Musk more leverage to push federal workers to retire, as many might feel financial pressure to look for work in the private sector if they have to endure weeks without a paycheck.”
Illegally Firing Department of Education Staff Undercuts American Dream – HseAppropsDems
Mon, March 10, 2025:
House Rules Comm. reported a “rule” laying out procedures for H.R. 1968, the full-year continuing resolution. The rule does not permit any amendments and only 1 hour of debate–on a measure covering nearly $2 trillion of annually appropriated federal spending. – Rules Comm.
Dems introduce alternative: Ranking Dems DeLauro and Murray introduced 1-month CR and called on Congress to pass bipartisan funding bills: Text-H Text-S
Sat, March 8, 2025:
Text of GOP full-year CR: House GOP Stmt | House Dem Stmt | Hse Dem Fact Sheet | Sen GOP Stmt | Sen Dem Stmt | Sen Dem Fact Sheet
GOP funding patch boosts defense and deportations, cuts other programs – Politico
House Republicans unveil bill to avoid shutdown and they’re daring Democrats to oppose it – AP
Long-term stopgap measure sets up partisan clash – Roll Call
House Republicans unveil spending bill to avert shutdown at week’s end; Democrats decried the measure as a White House power grab – NYT
Republicans unveil CR to keep government funded until Sept. 30 – WP
3 groups to watch in the final push to fund the government – The Hill
Fri, March 7, 2025:
House Democratic leadership letter to colleagues opposing GOP continuing resolution – HouseDems
Here’s the GOP plan to make “DOGE” cuts permanent — the rescission process – MarketWatch
Senate Democrats’ impending choice: shutdown or surrender – Politico
Thurs, March 6, 2025:
Federal Judge McConnell (RI) extended his temporary injuction preventing the Trump Administration from freezing grants and loans – AP
Wed, March 6, 2025:
Top appropriators near deal on spending levels for 2025, but Trump prefers full-year CR – Politico
Democrats digging in against full-year CR as shutdown deadline ticks closer – The Hill
Senate Dems face potential squeeze on year-long CR – Punchbowl news
Tues, March 4, 2025:
House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole told reporters he doesn’t expect to receive the Trump Administration’s FY 2026 Budget “before later April to early May.” – Bloomberg
Murray on yearlong CR, DOGE’s lack of transparency, and Musk conflicts of interest – SenAppropsDs
Power grab full-year CR allows Musk, Trump to accelerate dismantling of government–HseAppropsDs
Democrats are serious about a shutdown – Politico
Republicans risk hard-liner revolt in latest gambit to avoid a shutdown – Politico
Democrats reject GOP funding strategy, stoking shutdown fears – CNN
House Repub will vote against Speaker Johnson’s “clean CR” – X
Mon, March 3, 2025:
Roll Call podcast: stopgap spending decision time – Roll Call
Negotiations to avert a shutdown sputter as disputes over DOGE cuts persist – NBC
Government shutdown looms as Trump tries to assert new spending powers – WP
“Democrats say they want assurances from congressional Republicans and the White House that the administration will actually spend the money included in any new law preventing a shutdown.”
Sun, March 2, 2025:
Johnson floats stopgap funding bill, says GOP should codify DOGE cuts later – Politico
Jeffries releases statement on impending shutdown; highlights zero outreach
Sat, March 1, 2025:
Powers of Trump and Congress collide as government shutdown nears – WSJ
Musk’s FAA takeover puts profits over the safety of the American people – HouseAppropsDems
Fri, Feb 28, 2025:
DeLauro, Murray statement on collapse of government funding talks – HouseAppropsDems
Where things stand as Congress tries to avoid a partial government shutdown in 2 weeks – AP
Trump’s support for full-year CR raises risk of shutdown, top Democrats say – Politico
DOGE cuts complicate government funding talks and raise shutdown fears – CNN
GOP push for DOGE cuts inflames talks to prevent shutdown – The Hill
$15.9 billion in earmarks at stake if full-year stopgap enacted – Bloomberg
Trump, Musk’s plot to make it harder for Americans to get Social Security – SenAppropsDems
Thurs, Feb 27, 2025:
Mike Johnson eyes solo approach to avoid government shutdown – Axios
Appropriators working on year-long continuing resolution to avoid March 14 shutdown – Politico
Fight over Trump’s spending powers boosts shutdown odds – The Hill
Murray blasts Trump for canceling lifesaving USAID and state programs – SenAppropsDems
Wed, Feb 26, 2025:
GOP leaders say they won’t put reins on Trump and Musk in shutdown negotiations; little time left as members of both parties dig in their heels – Politico
Trump and Musk’s slash-and-burn tactics are a sticking point in talks to prevent a shutdown – NBC
Tues, Feb 25, 2025:
Judge indefinitely blocks Trump’s plan to freeze federal aid – The Hill
Mon, Feb 24, 2025:
Federal shutdown increasingly likely – Forbes
Murray statement on Trump Admin illegally firing USAID staff – SenAppropsDems
Government funding deal very close as negotiations hinge on Trump power struggle – Politico
Sat. Feb 22, 2025:
Trump and Republican congressional leaders could fumble their way into a prolonged and painful shutdown of the federal government as a March 14 deadline looms. – WP
Fri, Feb 21, 2025:
Shutdown: Short of a major breakthrough in the coming days, Congress is staring down the barrel of yet another crisis over government funding. – Politico
Trump and Musk steal from American farmers; GOP looks other way – House Approps Dems
Newsome sends Congress $40b request for LA fire aid – Politico
Thurs, Feb 20, 2025:
House appropriators examine education innovation, workforce preparedness
Approps Ranking Member Murray’s remarks on Senate Budget Resolution – Approps/Murray
Earmarks another victim of Trump spending freeze – Politico
Wed, Feb 19, 2025:
Budget resolution relies on overly optimistic assumptions about discretionary spending – PGPF
Trump team finds loophole to defy court orders blocking spending freezes – NYT
“You Would See Lawsuits”- Senate Approps Chair fires warning shot at Trump on spending – Politico
Senate Approps Ranking Dem on Senate Republican budget plan – Approps/Murray
Senate Approps Ranking Dem blasts Trump, Musk for risking Americans’ health – Approps/Murray
After ceding power of the purse, GOP lawmakers beg Trump team for funds; Republican senators are asking cabinet secretaries and other Trump officials to let money flow back to their states – WP
Tues, Feb 18, 2025:
Congress closing in on shutdown deadline with no clear plan – The Hill
Mon, Feb 17, 2025:
Republicans hope to jam through defense, border funding boost ahead of shutdown fight – The Hill
[Editor’s note: the GOP plan to boost defense and border funding through a Reconciliation bilAl requires circumventing the Appropriations process.]
What would a Federal funding freeze mean to state and local governments – the numbers – TPC
Sun, Feb 16, 2025:
Trump and Musk Sabotage Research on Cures and Treatments for Diseases – Approps/DeLauro
Gutting CDC will leave Americans sicker and more vulnerable to deadly diseases – Approps/DeLauto
Blame game on looming government shutdown – Axios
Approps Ranking Dem Murray: “Republican senators privately tell her they oppose what Trump and Musk are doing but the administration has used threats and offers of federal projects in their states to keep GOP senators in line and secure their near-unanimous support for controversial nominees and policies.” – WA Spokesman-Review
Sat, Feb 15, 2025:
Senate Appropriations Democrats say at least $396 billion in federal funds for farmers, broadband, infrastructure, housing, national parks, disaster prevention, infectious disease response, and medical research remains in jeopardy. – Approps Comm Dems
Kaptur, Murray demand briefing to Congress on reckless layoffs across Dept. of Energy, Including National Nuclear Security Administration, Jeopardizing National Security – Approps Comm Dems
Ranking Member sounds alarm over firing of 3400 Forest Service employees. – Approps Comm Dems
Fri, Feb 14, 2025:
Trump and Musk layoffs jeopardize essential services Americans rely on – Senate Approps Dems
Murphy, Underwood demand answers on reported FEMA grant freeze – Approps Comm Dems
Many Trump Administration personnel actions are unlawful – David Super
Bracing for a shutdown fight, Dems warn their votes are not a given – NYT
Shutdown looms in a month as funding talks falter in Congress – Bloomberg Law
Thurs, Feb 13, 2025:
Trump’s Funding Freeze is raising energy prices and undermining energy dominance – DeLauro
Wed, Feb 12, 2025:
My Fellow Members of Congress: This is a Naked Power Grab – NYT/DeLauro
Musk’s DOGE cuts based more on political ideology than real cost savings so far – Reuters
Democrats vow hardball in shutdown fight – The Hill
Tues, Feb 11, 2025:
DeLauro on dismantling the Dept. of Education – AppropsDems
Sen. Murray on Trump and Musk’s funding freeze – AppropsDems
Democrats are divided on government shutdown threats – Politico
Schumer: Democrats will use spending bills to curb DOGE – The Hill
FEMA official ignores judge’s latest order, demands freeze on grant funding – NBC
Proposed NIH funding cut threatens U.S. leadership in medical innovation – WP
Mon, Feb 10, 2025:
DeLauro statement on Trump violating court order to unfreeze federal spending
Federal judge blocks Trump administration cuts to medical research funding – CBS
Schumer letter to colleagues hints at government shutdown in March, saying, “legislation in the Senate requires 60 votes and Senate Democrats will use our votes to help steady the ship for the American people in these turbulent times.” – Senate Dem Leader Schumer
Senate Approps Chair opposes Administration’s “arbitrary cap on the indirect costs that are part of NIH grants…. (saying they) would be devastating, stopping vital biomedical researh and leading to the loss of jobs.” – Senate Approps Chair Collins
Sun, Feb 9, 2025:
Trump team dismantles efforts to find cure for cancer and other diseases – AppropsDs
Some Democrats vow to use leverage in government funding fight – WP
Fri, Feb 7, 2025:
Week 3: Trump’s funding freeze continues; hundreds of billions of dollars owed to communities still in jeopardy – Appropriations/Murray
Have shutdown talks stalled – Politico Playbook
Murray, Merkley, King, Heinrich Sound the Alarm Over National Parks Staffing Shortages Due to Trump’s Hiring Freeze – SenAppropsDems
Thurs, Feb 6, 2025:
House Appropriations subcommittees will begin marking up 2026 bills in late April – Cole
Firebrand Vought confirmed as White House budget director; party-line vote – Roll Call
Musk sought to use Treasury payment system to shut down USAID spending – CNN
Elon Musk’s DOGE is feeding sensitive federal data into AI to target cuts – WP
Federal judge pauses Thursday deadline for Trump administration’s buyout program – WP
Dem letter to Education Dept. demanding answers on Trump’s plans to dismantle – Murray/DeLauro
Dem letter to EPA demanding answers on illegal cuts – Murray/DeLauro
Wed, Feb 5, 2025:
Imminent Purge of EPA Employees will undermine agency’s obligations to protect human health and the environment – RM Pingree
Head start childcare programs still unable to access fed money – NBC
Trump brazenly defies laws in escalating executive power grab; President Trump has appeared to feel little constraint by any need to show respect for the rule of law – NYT
Ranking Member Murray details harm caused by blanket funding freeze, ongoing chaos, panic, damage – Murray
Democrats holding Senate Floor for 30 hours blasting Trump and Musk for violations of law and putting Americans in danger – Murray
Sen. GOP Approps Chair Susan Collins says she is “concerned” about Elon Musk and the Trump administration’s efforts to control congressional purse strings – Politico
“There’s no doubt that the president appears to have empowered Elon Musk far beyond what I think is appropriate,” she told reporters Wednesday. “I think a lot of it is going to end up in court…. I am concerned if the Trump administration is clawing back money that has been specifically appropriated for a particular purpose,” she said.
In a letter to OPM, Top congressional Democratic appropriators say Trump Administration’s “Deferred Resignation” Scheme is Deceptive, Legally Questionable, & Puts Vital Taxpayer Services At Risk; Accuse Musk of conflict of interest; Link to Dems’ letter to OPM detailing violations of law – Approps Dems
Why Washington is getting nervous about a shutdown – Politico
Trump, Musk roll over Republicans with grab for Congress’ Powers – Bloomberg Law
Tues, Feb 4, 2025:
EPA spending freeze continues despite court orders – Politico
Fed layoffs “likely” if too few employees choose to quit, memo says – WP
Appropriations negotiations stall ahead of shutdown deadline as Dems slam Trump for unilaterally halting funding and overhauling agencies – NBC
Mon, Feb 3, 2025:
Jeffries letter says appropriations must halt defunding – House Dem Leader
President lacks authority to abolish USAID because Congress established it by law (5 USC 104) as an independent agency with the executive branch; reorganization requires notification and consultation with Congress – CRS
Murray, Schumer, Wyden, Schatz, Warren sound alarm over Musk access to payment system–Approps
Senate Appropriators warn Trump and Musk on government shutdown – Axios
US soft power took decades to build. Trump is dismantling it in weeks – WP/Boot
Federal Judge for DC orders OMB to release funds frozen in Memorandum M-25-13 – RollCall
Dems want funding freeze blocked in 2025 funding deal – Politico
Rubio announces he’s acting director of USAID as Musk and Trump work to dismantle agency – CNN
West VA independent living agency disrupted by OMB funding freeze – Roll Call
Sat, Feb 1, 2025: Musk allies now have access to a sensitive Treasury payment system – WashPost
See Chron for actions prior to the above date.
APPROPRIATIONS STATUS CHART:
Click on Links Below for Bills, Reports, Summaries, and SAPs
“Sub” = subcommittee markup | “Full” = full committee markup
“FL” = floor action | “MB” = minibus
| Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) Spending Caps for FYs 2024 and 2025 | ||||||
| (Budget Authority, billions of $) |
||||||
| FY 2023 (enacted) (rounded) |
FRA §101 2024 Caps¹ |
Jan. 7, 2024 Johnson-Schumer Agreement (rounded) |
FRA §102 2024 Caps as adjusted on 1/1/24 (but reverted to §101 caps on 3/23/24 w/ completion of FY ’24 appropriations)¹ |
Fiscal Respon-sibility Act 2025 Caps |
||
| Defense Discretionary (base funding) |
858.4 | 886.3 (President’s requested level) | 886.3 (+3.3%) |
849.8 | 895.212 (+1.0%) |
|
| Non-Defense Discretionary (NDD) (base funding) |
743.9 | 703.7 | 703.7 | 736.5 | 710.688 (+1.0%) |
|
| Total Discretionary (base funding) |
1,602.2 | 1,590.0 | 1,590.0 | 1,586.2 | 1,605.9 | |
| NDD adjustments, aka $69 billion Side Agreement ² |
||||||
| CHIMPs | 15.0 | 25.0 | 15.0 | |||
| Emergencies | 12.5 | 23.0 | 12.5 | |||
| IRS Rescission | 10.0 | 20.2 | ||||
| Commerce Rescission | 11.0 | 12.4 | ||||
| Covid-19 Rescissions | 6.1 | |||||
| BA offsets from housing receipts | 2.8 (approx.) | |||||
| Subtotal, NDD Adjustments | 69.0 | 69.0 | ||||
| NDD Total (w/ adjustments) |
771.4 | 772.7 | 772.7 | |||
| ¹Pursuant to FRA §102, on 1/1/2024, the statutory discretionary caps were technically adjusted to levels one percent below FY 2023 base levels–which would have been enforced through OMB sequestration (uniform percentage across-the-board cuts) on April 30, 2024 if a CR had remained in effect for discretionary spending programs. This was designed to be an incentive to complete all 12 annual appropriations bills. Since all FY 2024 bills were completed on 3/23/24, the discretionary spending caps reverted to FRA §101 levels. | ||||||
| ²Side agreement refers to $69 billion in additional nondefense funds enabled by budgetary adjustments agreed to by President Biden and Speaker McCarthy during negotiation of the FRA: rescission of $10 billion in IRS funding and $11 billion from a Commerce Department account that creates room for more discretionary spending under the cap; Changes in Mandatory Programs (“CHIMPs”) where rescission of $25 billion in mandatory budget authority allows for additional discretionary spending under the cap; and $23 billion in emergency funding, which is exempt from the discretionary caps. See this explanation for more details. However, the January 7, 2024 agreement changed the composition of the $69 billion, as reflected in this table, and reported by Roll Call. |
||||||
| Sources: Sources: Letter from CBO to Speaker McCarthy, “CBO’s Estimate of the Budgetary Effects of H.R. 3746, the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023” (May 30, 2023), Tables 2 and 3; for FY 2023 BA levels, CBO table 1-S for H.R. 2617 published 12/21/2022; for FY 2022 BA levels, CBO Table 1 for HR 2471 published 03/14/2022; Jan 7, 2024 Johnson memo to House Republicans; CAP appropriations summary; CBPP explanation of side agreement. |
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