President Trump is expected to propose spending cuts early next week, according to an administration official, via the rarely used impoundment power.
A Republican aide said Congress expected a package of about $11 billion in cuts from the administration, less than conservatives had previously sought.
An administration official said the final numbers were still under discussion and that the package to be sent to Congress next week would be the first in a series.
Via the 1974 Impoundment Act, Trump can propose spending cuts for special consideration in Congress. The spending reductions, or rescissions, would not be subject to the filibuster in the Senate, limiting Democrats’ ability to stop them.
Conservatives pushed for Trump to rescind spending after he signed the $1.3 trillion appropriations bill for fiscal 2018. That spending bill, which was subject to the filibuster, was negotiated between Republicans and Democrats. In those talks, Republicans agreed to raise domestic spending to get Democrats to sign off on higher defense spending. Now, conservatives are hoping to undo some spending without having to bargain with Democrats.
Last month, however, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., downplayed the possibility of rescinding the spending, noting that Trump and Republican leaders had made an agreement with Democrats.
Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush didn’t use the impoundment power, but in previous decades presidents often proposed spending cuts.
