Washington : US President Donald Trump has requested Congress to rescind more than USD 15 billion in budget authority, the White House said on Tuesday.
Such a request the White House said is in line with his commitment to use every tool at his disposal to rein in out-of-control Federal spending.
According to the White House, Trump’s request is the first of several upcoming rescissions packages aimed at cutting federal spending. As such, the president is also proposing the largest single rescissions request in history pursuant to the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (ICA).
Under the ICA, the president has the authority to request rescissions and his proposals are eligible for expedited consideration by Congress.
Democratic and Republican presidents have used the ICA to propose nearly USD 76 billion in spending cuts since the law was enacted, the White House said. Upon the passage of the ICA in 1974, each president from Gerald Ford to Bill Clinton successfully used the ICA to rescind federal funds, it added.
Noting that the president’s rescissions request puts American taxpayers first by addressing irresponsible federal spending, the White House said Trump’s first rescissions package targets spending that is unnecessary, unused, or cannot be used for its original purpose.