White House cancels health, education funds approved by Congress

Key Points:

• The Trump administration announced a last-minute plan to cancel $810 million in funding for health, education, and other programs just before the fiscal year ends, sparking controversy over congressional authority on budget matters.
• The rescission mainly cuts $567 million from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement, citing decreased migrant crossings, along with reductions in education, foreign exchange, health research, and housing counseling programs.
• Congressional leaders from both parties condemned the move as illegal, accusing the administration of withholding and canceling funds without congressional approval, with Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins and Rep. Rosa DeLauro pledging to challenge the action.
• The administration defended the rescission as a historic effort to eliminate wasteful spending, but the timing and method—known as a pocket rescission—leave little opportunity for lawmakers to respond before the new fiscal year.
• This maneuver, previously used by the Trump administration to cancel $4 billion in foreign aid, risks escalating tensions over federal spending ahead of the midterm elections and the December 11 deadline to fund the government for fiscal 2027.