Press Releases

Washington, D.C. (January 28, 2025)—Today, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, released the following statement and a fact sheet after the Trump Administration announced a sweeping freeze on all federal funding—a brazen attack on millions of American families and a blatant episode of executive trespass on Congressional powers.

“The Trump Administration’s unprecedented freeze on all federal financial assistance is a breathtaking attack on the American people, the Constitution, and the rule of law. Trump’s order threatens to paralyze essential programs relied on by millions of Americans in red and blue states alike and wreak havoc on our communities. 

“This order jeopardizes critical funding for local law enforcement and public safety, efforts to combat the opioid crisis, assistance to rape crisis centers and organizations supporting survivors of domestic violence, veteran assistance programs and countless other vital government services and programs. Even a brief pause in funding for these programs and services would have disastrous consequences on the country by imperiling Americans’ livelihoods, businesses, national security, and our ability to respond to emergencies.

“OMB’s cruel directive is also a direct and unconstitutional challenge to the authority of the Congress. It is the constitutional obligation of the federal executive to disburse the grants and loans lawfully appropriated by Congress, not an option. The President does not have the power to selectively withhold taxpayer funds based on his political priorities or to disregard the will of Congress. 

“While I am relieved that this dangerous directive has been temporarily paused by a federal judge before it went into full effect, I urge the Acting OMB Director to consider the harm this order will bring on every American and to immediately reverse course on this blatantly illegal executive attack on the rule of law and the public interest.”

Click here to read the fact sheet.