DURHAM, NC (January 28, 2025) — Today, Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04) released the following statement on the recent memoranda issued by the United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and President Trump’s executive orders directing agencies to withhold approved federal funding. This sweeping, unprecedented directive is set to go into effect at 5PM ET on January 28, 2025.
“Trump’s illegal and unprecedented directive to halt approved federal funding is an alarming overreach of power that will have severe and devastating impacts on families and communities across the entire country. My district is home to leading research institutions and universities, and this sweeping freeze will harm the livelihoods of researchers, federal employees, and students throughout the Triangle region. This extreme order will not only pause countless federally funded research projects, but will also prevent our state from accessing emergency FEMA funds that are needed to help our neighbors in Western North Carolina rebuild and recover from Helene. Furthermore, this directive will additionally withhold essential funding from first responders, schools, infrastructure improvement projects, healthcare centers, small businesses, veterans, seniors, and more.
“Our Constitution is clear, and Congress – not the President – has the power of the purse. Trump’s attempt to circumvent our Constitution and prevent the disbursement of congressionally approved funds is a direct attack on our nation’s system of checks and balances and on our democracy. I condemn this Administration’s blatant attempts to further their far-right agenda over the pressing needs of the American people, and I demand that the Trump Administration upholds the law and reverses this reckless directive to ensure millions of Americans have access to the federal resources they are counting on.”
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