Trump Uses Pocket Rescission To Cancel Nearly $1 Billion In Spending
On Friday, September 25, 2026, the White House announced it would cancel nearly $1 billion in previously appropriated federal funds using a "pocket rescission." CBS News
It identified $567 million for refugee, asylee and migrant services at the Department of Health and Human Services and $50 million for other immigrant and noncitizen aid programs.[1] It also listed $70 million for so-called "Woke International Education" grants and $56 million for programs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.[1] The maneuver depends on submitting rescission proposals so late that Congress's 45-legislative-day review period stretches past the September 30, 2026 funding deadline.[1]
In 2025, a pocket rescission that canceled $4.9 billion in foreign aid survived an emergency Supreme Court challenge, though the Court did not decide whether the practice complies with the Impoundment Control Act.[1] Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins and the Government Accountability Office say pocket rescissions are illegal.[1] The White House says the cuts are a lawful use of the president's impoundment powers.[1]
Some lawmakers called the move illegal, setting up immediate congressional and legal fights over the affected programs.[1] The announcement puts funding for migrant services, education grants and HUD programs at the center of another likely budget and courtroom showdown.
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📌 Key Facts
- On Friday, September 25, 2026, the White House announced plans to cancel almost $1 billion in previously appropriated funds via a 'pocket rescission.'
- Targets include $567 million for refugee, asylee and migrant services at HHS, $50 million for other immigrant and noncitizen aid programs, $70 million in "Woke International Education" grants and $56 million in HUD programs.
- The maneuver relies on submitting rescission proposals so late in the fiscal year that Congress’s 45-legislative-day review period extends past the September 30, 2026 funding expiration.
- Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins and the GAO say pocket rescissions are illegal, while the White House argues the cuts are a lawful use of the president's impoundment powers.
- A similar 2025 pocket rescission canceling $4.9 billion in foreign aid survived an emergency Supreme Court challenge, though the Court did not decide whether the practice complies with the Impoundment Control Act.
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