Dems accuse Trump admin of withholding hundreds of billions, not the flex they think it is

President Donald Trump’s administration is once again being accused by Democrats of withholding federal funding.

Senator Patty Murray, D-Washington and  Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Connecticut, issued a joint statement on Monday blasting the Trump administration for blocking federal money from being released. At the same time, the pair released a tracker that not only list the amount of money reportedly being withheld from certain agencies and organizations, but also explanations of what Democrats believe to be “at stake” if the funding is canceled or frozen.

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“We are now nine months into the year—and weeks away from the end of the fiscal year—and President Trump and Russ Vought continue to withhold hundreds of billions of dollars from families, farmers, children, small businesses, and communities in every part of the country,” the pair claimed in their statement.

But one senior administration official pushed back on the leftist narrative.

“If anyone knew what Murray and DeLauro were smoking, they’d be rich,” the official said, according to The Hill.

“The estimate comes as partisan tensions over spending have been on the rise in Washington amid a significant operation by the administration to reshape parts of the federal government. The White House has also clawed back $9 billion in already appropriated money earlier this year, and is trying to rescind another $5 billion without congressional input,” the outlet reported.

“Among some of the big-ticket items highlighted in the tracker was $37 billion in funding for foreign assistance and development programs that Democrats say has been cancelled, frozen, or terminated, along with about $40 billion for competitive grants for the Transportation Department,” the article continued.

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Also “frozen,” according to the Democrat tracker, is $55 million for the Minority Business Development Agency.

“Communities that have historically been left behind will continue to be at a business disadvantage. MBDA funds a network of dozens of business centers across the country that provide access to capital and technical assistance to minority-owned enterprises, and all the funding and support is at risk,” the tracker said.

Meanwhile, a frozen $34 million for the Legal Orientation Program threatens to “weaken due process” by defunding “a program that helps noncitizens understand how U.S. immigration courts work.”

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Sierra Marlee

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