FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
PRESS CONTACT:
esperanza@focalpointstrategygroup.com
Washington, D.C. – As the March 14 deadline for a potential government shutdown nears, Republicans are just now realizing that the shutdown under their total control would reflect poorly on their “leadership.” In a push to rally support for the stop-gap funding bill backed by Speaker Mike Johnson and Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance and OMB Director Russell Vought are saying the quiet part out loud: passing the bill will prevent public backlash against the GOP, while Trump and Musk plan to sidestep Congress and override federal spending they don’t like anyway.
During a recent Fox News interview, Russell Vought openly admitted that the executive branch would use impoundments to enforce funding cuts and undermine Congress. Reports from Vance’s visit to Capitol Hill suggest he urged congressional Republicans to back the continuing resolution, with Trump handling the rest of his agenda with impoundments to not spend appropriated money.
In response, Congressional Integrity Project Senior Advisor Kyle Herrig issued the following statement on behalf of the Checks and Balances War Room:
“The Trump administration shows no remorse in undermining our system of checks and balances—in fact, they’re now openly boasting about it. Trump and Musk know they can manipulate congressional Republicans to push their own agendas, while the American people will be the ones left to bear the consequences.
In case anyone forgot—impoundments are unconstitutional and illegal. What Vance and Vought are openly endorsing, and what Trump intends to enforce once Congressional Republicans pass this bill, is a blatant violation of the law. If Republican members buy the arguments being peddled by the likes of Vance and Vought they’ll be openly surrendering their power and responsibilities to Trump and Musk. This is not what their constituents voted for, and it undermines the very foundation of our separation of powers. Congressional Republicans need to look past the pressure from Trump and Musk and Vance and Vought and act in the best interests of the American people and our democracy.”