President Trump issued an executive order last week directing all federal agencies to "pause" the disbursement of funds appropriated through the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-but that may violate the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974.

The Impoundment Control Act describes specific reasons that can justify the president legally and temporarily withholding congressionally authorized funds. But in these blanket declarations, Trump directed agencies to withhold funds in order to align with his policy preferences, entirely outside the statutory scheme established by Congress. That's an unauthorized reason for a delay under the Impoundment Control Act.

Allowing Trump's overreach to remain unchallenged sets a dangerous precedent for future brazen power grabs. The idea that the president can stop spending for any congressionally approved program for any reason, for any amount of time, and without a single communication to Congress lacks merit and would destroy the proper separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches.

he Constitution doesn't give the president unilateral authority to withhold enacted funding, and our democracy hinges on our system of checks and balances.

That's why we're calling on Congress to exercise its oversight authority to investigate this executive overreach.