By M Dowling
Supreme Court Justice John Roberts has temporarily blocked a lower court ruling that required the Trump administration to release nearly $4 billion in foreign aid. Democrat lawmakers have expressed concern that the action could undermine congressional authority over the power of the purse. The Court has indicated it will review the administration’s emergency appeal.
Roberts’ stay targets U.S. District Judge Amir Ali’s ruling barring the administration from withholding the funds. The Trump administration argued the injunction “irreparably harms the Executive Branch.”
Ali stated, “This case raises questions of immense legal and practical importance, including whether there is any avenue to test the executive branch’s decision not to spend congressionally appropriated funds.”
President Trump has been trying to cut waste and fraud in foreign spending but Democrat judges have stopped him every step of the way.
President Trump is planning rescission packages to get Congress to make the cuts.
Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote, “While proposed rescissions are pending, presidents do not spend the funds, for obvious reasons: it would be self-defeating and senseless for the executive branch to obligate the very funds that it is asking Congress to rescind.”
Sauer added, “Yet the new injunction would force the executive branch to start obligating those funds at breakneck speed to meet the Sept. 30 deadline, even as Congress is considering the rescission proposal and before its 45 days to do so elapse.”
The Supreme Court will hear the emergency appeal.