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Congress·In Committee·H.R. 1180

Congress Considers Bill to Give President More Power to Block Federal Spending

To repeal the Impoundment Control Act of 1974.

about 1 year ago·View on Congress.gov
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Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

House
Senate
President
Law

Key Points

  • This bill would get rid of a 1974 law that currently forces the President to spend money exactly how Congress tells them to. If this law is repealed, the President would have much more freedom to stop or delay spending on government programs they do not agree with.

    From policy text

    “The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 681 et seq.) is hereby repealed.”
    View in full text
  • The change would affect every federal agency and program. If a President decides a certain project is wasteful, they could simply refuse to send the money out, even if Congress already voted to fund it. This could impact everything from local infrastructure projects to national research grants.
  • Supporters of the bill believe it would help the President cut government waste and control the national debt more quickly. They argue the executive branch needs more flexibility to manage the country's finances effectively.
  • Critics argue that repealing this law would take away the 'power of the purse' from Congress, which is a key part of the system of checks and balances. It would return the government to a system where the President has significantly more influence over the final federal budget than they do today.
Economy Finance

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Feb 11, 2025House

Referred to the Committee on the Budget, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Feb 11, 2025

Introduced in House

Related Bills

1 bill
S. 515Identical bill

A bill to repeal the Impoundment Control Act of 1974.

Feb 11 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

To repeal the Impoundment Control Act of 1974.

Bill NumberHR 1180
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the Committee on the Budget, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(25)
R: 25

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.