The White House budget office has rejected a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that claims the Trump administration is violating the law by not spending funds as Congress directed. The GAO’s report, released on Thursday, states that the administration broke the Impoundment Control Act by blocking $5 billion in funding for electric vehicle charging stations from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Act. This decision has left many planned construction projects in limbo.
According to the GAO, the Trump administration should have followed a formal process to rescind the funding, which requires Congress’s approval. Instead, they unilaterally halted the spending. In response, Russ Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget during Trump’s first term, dismissed the GAO’s findings as inconsequential. He described the report as "rearview mirror stuff" and accused the GAO of trying to undermine effective management of taxpayer dollars.
A spokesperson for the Department of Transportation also criticized the GAO’s interpretation of the law, stating that it reflects a "complete misunderstanding." They noted that the department is reviewing its guidance on the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program due to its poor implementation.
This situation highlights an ongoing conflict over government spending and the balance of power between the executive branch and Congress. The Impoundment Control Act, passed in 1974, was designed to ensure that Congress retains control over federal funding. After disputes with President Nixon, Congress established this law to prevent future presidents from unilaterally withholding funds.
Senator Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington and vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, stated that Trump is breaking the law by blocking the funding. She emphasized that the Constitution grants Congress the power of the purse, not the president.
As of now, the GAO is investigating 39 other potential instances of funding impoundment under the Trump administration. The agency has the authority to sue the president if it finds violations of the law, but it has not indicated whether it will take that step in this case. Meanwhile, several states have already filed lawsuits against the Trump administration over the halted funds for electric vehicle charging stations.