WASHINGTON. D.C. – Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va. today assured state residents federal benefits to individuals as well as federal dollars to various programs will not be interrupted after the White House rescinded an earlier order from the OMB (Office of Management and Budget) to freeze federal spending.
“Right now, we are operating under the assumption that the OMB memo has been withdrawn and that money is still moving out,” Capito said during a virtual press briefing from her Washington office. “People should be assured they can move forward.”
Capito was also critical of how the order was handled by the White House and agreed that the pause was necessary to clarify the process to remedy what the Trump Administration has branded wasteful spending, especially in the areas of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) as well as Green Energy.
“I do believe the administration needs to be much more definitive … that’s where you see the confusion and concerns,” she said. “I don’t blame people for being concerned. I am hoping with this pause and with the judge putting a stay on, it gives the administration, and with us weighing in, and many of us have with the White House, saying you can’t just throw this out there and throw everybody into a panic. We need to work together here.”
Although she said she was not pleased with the way this has been handled, she does agree with the President that federal spending, including grants, regarding any DEI and Green New Deal content does need to be looked at.
Capito also said that the President may have policies he wants in place to follow his agenda, but funding is decided by Congress.
“We are going to have some disagreements there. There is no doubt … Congress has the power of the purse and we need to retain that power.”
Capito said she wants to avoid a fight in the Supreme Court over the constitutional appropriating powers between the Executive and Legislative branches.
Legislators also need to work with any organization, especially those relying heavily on federal funding, she said, to make sure the Trump Administration knows how important they are and that they are not involved in any kind of fraud, waste or abuse or any “woke” governance.
Details on how any of this will work moving forward are still unclear, but she said when these organizations’ spending is examined, a grace period should be in place to avoid any cuts until after the process is completed and any problems resolved.
“I don’t envision the administration coming in and slashing programs in a program that has been promised funding through the end of the year,” she said, but programs could be cut the following year, which any administration can do.
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