The Trump administration is spurring confusion as it seeks to implement a sweeping freeze of federal assistance, undermining laws Congress has enacted in recent years.
The White House budget office early Tuesday circulated a 52-page document ordering agencies to answer 14 questions by the end of next week for each program that “has funding or activities planned through March 15.”
The spreadsheet, obtained by POLITICO, covers thousands of programs, including many that send assistance each month to U.S. households, like food aid to “very low-income” people age 60 and over, the home energy program that helps cover winter heating costs for the poorest households and the WIC program that aids low-income pregnant mothers and babies.
Yet hours later, the Office of Management and Budget released a follow-up memo, also obtained by POLITICO, explaining that benefits like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and student loans would not be affected by the freeze — nor would Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security payments.
“Funds for small business, farmers, Pell grants, Head Start, rental assistance, and other similar programs will not be paused,” the new memo adds.
The OMB memo also defended the administration’s actions against accusations that they constitute a violation of “impoundment law,” which is designed to block presidents from unilaterally withholding money without the consent of Congress.
“It is a temporary pause to give agencies time to ensure that financial assistance conforms to the policies set out in the President’s Executive Orders, to the extent permitted by law,” according to the memo.
The Trump administration’s order Monday night followed the new president’s initial executive actions a week earlier, which ordered the freeze of foreign aid and a broad range of other federal funding.
“Temporary pauses are a necessary part of program implementation that have been ordered by past presidents to ensure that programs are being executed and funds spent in accordance with a new President’s policies and do not constitute impoundments,” the Tuesday afternoon memo continues.
Daniella Diaz contributed to this report.
