Bill > S5533

This bill proposes to completely repeal the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. The Impoundment Control Act, which was originally passed in response to President Nixon's attempts to withhold congressionally appropriated funds, established important constraints on the president's ability to refuse spending money that Congress had officially allocated. By repealing this entire act, the bill would eliminate the legal framework that prevents the executive branch from arbitrarily refusing to spend funds that have been appropriated by Congress. This would potentially give the president more discretion in federal spending, which could significantly change the balance of financial power between the legislative and executive branches of government. The bill is straightforward in its language, simply stating that the entire Impoundment Control Act (found in Title 2, Section 681 and subsequent sections of the United States Code) is hereby repealed in full.