* Sun-Times…
Illinois has been shut out of Medicaid, just hours after President Donald Trump’s administration announced a pause in federal grants, loans and other financial assistance as they begin a review of spending.
The funding freeze could affect trillions of dollars and cause widespread disruption in health care research, education programs and other initiatives. Grants that have been awarded but not spend are also halted, according to the Associated Press.
Though the funding freeze was supposed to take effect at 4 p.m. Central Time Tuesday, Gov. JB Pritzker’s office staid that the state of Illinois was shut out of Medicaid as of Tuesday morning. The government-funded health insurance program covered about 3.9 million people in Illinois in 2023, including low-income adults, children, pregnant women and people with disabilities.
“The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve,” Matthew Vaeth, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, wrote in the memo. “This memorandum requires Federal agencies to identify and review all Federal financial assistance programs and supporting activities consistent with the President’s policies and requirements.”
Vaeth wrote that each agency must complete a comprehensive analysis of all federal financial assistance programs.
* From the governor’s office…
Since last night, Governor Pritzker has been speaking with the Illinois’ federal delegation, local elected officials, non-governmental organizations, non-profits, and other Governors. The Governor has directed his senior team to assess the detrimental impacts of this unlawful action on the state’s budget and services. State agencies have reported to the Governor’s Office issues with accessing federal funding sites and disbursement systems, including Medicaid systems.
Governor Pritzker’s Statement from last night:
The US Constitution does not grant the President this unilateral authority. In Illinois, we will stand against unlawful actions that would harm millions of working families, children, and seniors.
BACKGROUND ON MEDICAID SYSTEM
The federal Medicaid PMS site refers to the Payment Management System (PMS), which is used by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to manage federal funding disbursements for Medicaid and other programs. The PMS serves as a centralized system to track and facilitate the distribution of grant funds to states and other grantees.
Key Details About the PMS Site:
• Purpose: The site allows state Medicaid agencies (like the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services) to request, track, and manage federal Medicaid funds and grants.
• Managed By: The system is operated by the Division of Payment Management (DPM) under HHS.
• Access: States and grantees access PMS via the official portal to request federal fund drawdowns, view disbursement reports, and reconcile payments.
Official Website:
*** UPDATE 1 *** Durbin…
U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement regarding the Trump Administration’s decision to freeze federal aid:
“Freezing federal funding that has already been allocated by Congress is unconstitutional. Above all else, it’s inhumane. Every American relies on federal funding—from public safety, disaster relief, medical research funding, and small business loans to Head Start and child care programs, veterans care, nutrition assistance, food inspections, and so much more. Denying critical funding for our families will not make America great.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** The federal OMB memo is here…
No later than February 10, 2025, agencies shall submit to OMB detailed information on any programs, projects or activities subject to this pause. Each agency must pause: (i) issuance of new awards; (ii) disbursement of Federal funds under all open awards; and (iii) other relevant agency actions that may be implicated by the executive orders, to the extent permissible by law, until OMB has reviewed and provided guidance to your agency with respect to the information submitted.
OMB may grant exceptions allowing Federal agencies to issue new awards or take other actions on a case-by-case basis. To the extent required by law, Federal agencies may continue taking certain administrative actions, such as closeout of Federal awards (2 CFR 200.344), or recording obligations expressly required by law.
Additionally, agencies must, for each Federal financial assistance program: (i) assign responsibility and oversight to a senior political appointee to ensure Federal financial assistance conforms to Administration priorities; (ii) review currently pending Federal financial assistance announcements to ensure Administration priorities are addressed, and, subject to program statutory authority, modify unpublished Federal financial assistance announcements, withdraw any announcements already published, and, to the extent permissible by law, cancel awards already awarded that are in conflict with Administration priorities, and; (iii) ensure adequate oversight of Federal financial assistance programs and initiate investigations when warranted to identify underperforming recipients, and address identified issues up to and including cancellation of awards.
The agency spreadsheet is here.
*** UPDATE 3 *** More coverage and some background…
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said during a press conference Tuesday morning that he’s spoken with New York State Attorney General Letitia James about a legal challenge to the spending freeze.
“I spoke to my attorney general this morning. She’s head of the state attorneys general association,” Schumer said. “They’re going to court right away on this horror.”
Article I, Section 9, Clause 7 of the Constitution gives Congress the so-called “power of the purse” by granting it the authority to approve federal spending.
Congress has passed several laws regarding that constitutional authority, including the 1974 Impoundment Control Act, which says that the president cannot simply refuse to spend money Congress has appropriated.
Trump’s pick for OMB Director, Russ Vought, has repeatedly called that law unconstitutional and said he believes the president does have the authority to simply ignore sections of spending law that have been passed by Congress and signed into law.
*** UPDATE 4 *** Roll Call…
The spreadsheet includes specific questions for over 2,600 specific accounts within agencies across the government, large and small — every Cabinet department and independent agencies ranging from the Federal Communications Commission to the Institute of Museum and Library Services to the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.
The questions, intended to ensure that federal programs are in compliance with Trump’s executive orders and policy goals, include the following:
• “Does this program provide Federal funding to non-governmental organizations supporting or providing services, either directly or indirectly, to removable or illegal aliens?”
• “Is this program a foreign assistance program, or provide funding or support activities overseas?”
• “Does this program provide funding that is implicated by the revocation and rescission of the U.S. International Climate Finance Plan?”
• “Does this program include activities that impose an undue burden on the identification, development, or use of domestic energy resources (including through funding under the Inflation Reducing (sp) Act of 2022; and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act)?”
• “Does this program provide funding that is implicated by the directive to end discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI and ‘diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility’ (DEIA) mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities, under whatever name they appear, or other directives in the same EO, including those related to ‘environmental justice’ programs or ‘equity-related’ grants?”
• “Does this program promote gender ideology?”
• “Does this program promote or support in any way abortion or other related activities identified in the Hyde Amendment?”
• “If not covered in the preceding columns, does this program support any activities that must not be supported based on executive orders issued on or after January 20, 2025 (including executive orders released following the dissemination of this spreadsheet)?”
*** UPDATE 5 *** Illinois is among the states that will sue, according to the NYT.
*** UPDATE 6 *** Comptroller Mendoza…
I am prepared to stand with Governor JB Pritzker, Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Treasurer Michael Frerichs in fighting this egregious action by President Trump. The freezing of vital federal funds will immediately impact millions of students, parents, medical and health care recipients, women and children, and our schools in Illinois.
We are talking about medical care, law enforcement, veterans care, student loans, TANF, WIC, childcare assistance, school breakfast and lunch programs, Head Start programs, and more - federal programs that were authorized by the U.S. Congress.
My office is doing everything it can to process federal funds prior to the deadline. Because my office prioritizes Medicaid payments, we are current on those bills. In fact, on Thursday we processed all $518 million in Medicaid bills on-hand and received our federal match yesterday before the administration shut down our access to the Medicaid system.
However, I am very concerned about how long this “freeze” may last. It is reckless for President Trump to take this action with essentially no guidance or explanation about exactly which federal funds are included, leaving states to pick up the pieces and figure out how to best protect and provide services to their residents.
Our most vulnerable residents in all 102 counties, along with our healthcare, human services and social service providers, should not be punished by this action dictated by the Trump Administration.
The situation is reminiscent of the Rauner years, when the former Illinois Governor held the budget hostage for his social agenda that led to a budget freeze for more than two years and many providers, vendors, businesses and organizations suffered greatly as a result.
These actions create widespread disruption and chaos rather than stability and predictability, putting American lives at risk.
Likewise, no executive officer, even the President, should undermine the authority of the U.S. Congress in appropriating funds for federal programs.
The people across America that these federally funded programs serve, represent all walks of life – urban, rural, Democrat, Republican and everyone in-between. Disease and disability do not choose to affect one political party over another.
Freezing federal funds critical to providing medical and health care and every other critical category targeted poses a serious threat to all impacted Americans and no one should welcome this misguided action. If President Trump will not reverse his reckless and unconstitutional executive order, I hope and pray the courts will quickly do it for him.
*** UPDATE 7 *** And yet, the state is locked out of accessing some of these systems, including Medicaid…
What a total, complete mess they’ve made.
*** UPDATE 8 *** Unreal…
*** UPDATE 9 *** NYT…
On Tuesday, education policy experts said they did not believe that the federal government’s main funding stream for K-12 schools, known as Title I, would be immediately impacted by the funding freeze. Federal money, which accounts for about 10 percent of all public education dollars, is paid to states – generally in July and October – which then distribute funds to districts and schools. The promised funding for the current school year has already been received.
*** UPDATE 10 *** Speaker Welch…
What’s been coming out of Washington is sad and concerning on many levels. Blocking legally mandated funding for state and local governments is just another example of the Trump Administration abusing its power to sew chaos, disrupt progress, marginalize communities, and hurt the people he was elected to help.
*** UPDATE 11 *** From AG Raoul’s remarks announcing a lawsuit to stop this pause…
This unconstitutional pause in funding will have a devastating impact on the public safety, prosperity and quality of life of all.
Democrats and Republicans alike will be negatively impacted by this pause in funding.
It impacts our ability to go after offenders who prey on a our children, because this impacts our Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Our task force has enabled us to capture a record number of child predators. That is compromised.
It impacts… funding that allows our law enforcement partners to fight crime and impacts those who rely on Medicaid for life-saving health care.
It impacts our capacity to provide for veterans who served our country. Head Start and child care programs. The support for critical research at our universities. And support for farmers who grow our food. And of course, critical investment in infrastructure needed for our roads and bridges and keeping our working families working.
On January 20th, our nation had a peaceful transfer of power. But let’s be clear, January 20th was an inauguration, not a coronation. Congress is given the power to appropriate the funding. The executive branch cannot unilaterally disregard those appropriations passed by a separate and equal house of government.
We will collectively fight this unconstitutional mandate.
Please pardon any transcription errors.
*** UPDATE 12 *** Ugh…
*** UPDATE 13 *** Checking…
Even if this goes back into operation, we still don’t know the fate of trillions of federal funding dollars.
…Adding… This thread is now closed. Click here for a fresh thread.
- Soccermom - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 11:26 am:
This is going to be horrible. They are going to tell us that we can get our access back as long as we stop paying for abortion care.
- ABA Mom - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 11:29 am:
So far Illinois, California, and New Jersey are all confirmed to be shut out. I’m sure the fact that they all have Democratic governors is just a coincidence.
- Soccermom - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 11:32 am:
Where is the lawsuit? Where are our Congressional leaders? I want to hear screaming.
- Frank - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 11:33 am:
Connecticut, Michigan and NY also shut out
- In_The_Middle - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 11:39 am:
I can hear the keyboards clacking away in all the Attorney’s General offices drafting a stay of the order.
- H-W - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 11:42 am:
While many might not believe it, I am a Christian. Of one thing I am certain: this Christian Nationalist agenda of denying the poor, the widows and orphans (single mothers raising American children), refusing to fully educate our children, and invading religious buildings in search of undocumented immigrants is 100% contrary to the teachings of all religions, including Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. Indeed, it is contrary to everything moral in all traditions.
Christian Nationalism indeed is in direct contradiction to the writings about the person called Jesus. It is literal blasphemy to deny the Spirit of Humanity that we all share.
- Cool Papa Bell - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 11:45 am:
I was just over at the U of I yesterday with folks who rely deeply on federal funding to showcase some pretty cutting edge technology and research to improve farming.
I don’t know all these details, but those grants are frozen now too?
It’s been 8 days.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 11:48 am:
Sometimes you have to stay up all night drafting a lawsuit or reading a letter.
- DS - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 11:49 am:
NYTimes reports the lawsuit will be filed today.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/28/us/politics/states-lawsuit-trump-federal-grants-pause.html
- ItsMillerTime - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 11:55 am:
Trump must know this is illegal, which means he’s either doing this because he thinks he won’t be stopped or thinks the damage it will cause before its stopped is worth it. Either way here’s reason 1,395 that Trump is evil. What’s worse is his voters in the States affected won’t know or care, or think its the Dems fault somehow.
- Charles Edward Cheese - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 11:57 am:
The Project 2025 agenda is in full swing. Citizens were warned, and yet enough (in select tipping point states) still voted to gut the very lifelines they rely on.
This is unconstitutional, but who is the safeguard now to pushback on the unconstitutional acts? There are no true checks and balances left, they’ve been replaced by true to the cause loyalist yes-men and capture institutions.
- Norseman - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:03 pm:
AG Raoul is hopefully having staff working hard on a lawsuit challenging this action. Other blue state AGs should be collaborating on this and other suits to thwart MAGA attacks.
- Jerry - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:05 pm:
I’m assuming Federal Funding of Erectile Dysfunction meds is cut off. That will reduce abortions.
- Garfield Ridge Guy - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:10 pm:
In a saner world, this action would immediately lead to impeachment and/or the exercise of the 25th Amendment. Even if the courts hold this up (and I hope they do), this is the clearest marker yet that Trump’s second term will be different, in a worse way, than his first.
- levivotedforjudy - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:13 pm:
I wonder at one point does the wide-spread and severe suffering of their constituents force GOP members of Congress and governors to push back - hard? This is an incredibly vast and impactful situation.
- Roadrager - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:14 pm:
==The Project 2025 agenda is in full swing. Citizens were warned, and yet enough (in select tipping point states) still voted to gut the very lifelines they rely on.==
The national political press all nodded when Trump said he had nothing to do with Project 2025 and dutifully parroted his claim. That’s the message that got out to more of the voting public: This is just Democrats trying to whip people into hysterics to win an election and none of these things will actually happen because Trump says he doesn’t want them.
Fun fact: Putting the axe to federal funding so abruptly and broadly like this defunds the police.
- Fixer - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:15 pm:
All the pushback doesn’t mean a thing when this person has already shown a blatant disregard for rules, norms and laws.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:15 pm:
= Marxist=
I love the way they use words but do not know what they mean and are not using them correctly or in any context. Just throw out a word that scares some people.
Are federal farm subsidies frozen? We are trying to figure out if this applies to the federal school lunch program as well. So far the republican “leaders” in our area have no answers. We are fortunate in that we have reserves to cover these “loses” but not everyone is as lucky and our reserves will get exhausted.
What were the republicans saying about weaponizing government a few months ago?
- Roadrager - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:19 pm:
==discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI and ‘diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility’ (DEIA) mandates==
Notice how “DEI” became “DEIA” in a week? Because accommodating disabilities in qualified employees is woke now. This ghoulish bunch wants to unwind the Americans with Disabilities Act, that oppressive piece of socialist legislation signed into law by fervent Marxist George H.W. Bush.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:20 pm:
=== We are trying to figure out if this applies===
Download the spreadsheet https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25506813-govdoc20250128-263582/#document/p1
School lunch program is on the list.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:21 pm:
Cancer research? I’m pretty sure Republicans get cancer too.
I didn’t think the leopard would eat MY face.
Buckle up. The (stuff) is getting real.
- I-55 Fanatic - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:22 pm:
This is a complete disaster. I worry that Democrats don’t have the communication skills to fully articulate how egregious this is. Inconveniently, once people hear words like “OMB memo,” “federal funding,” and “disbursement,” they’ve already tuned out. This is bad.
- Tired - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:23 pm:
They TOLD everyone what they were going to do and yet…
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:25 pm:
==I worry that Democrats don’t have the communication skills to fully articulate how egregious this is.==
This is a thing that spins itself once the money is turned off.
- Roadrager - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:31 pm:
==I wonder at one point does the wide-spread and severe suffering of their constituents force GOP members of Congress and governors to push back - hard?==
The point you are looking for is when Elon Musk, Richard Uihlein, Peter Thiel, et al no longer have the money for their whispering of the word “primary” to be a credible threat. That point is very well off in the distance.
==Cancer research? I’m pretty sure Republicans get cancer too.==
Thanks to the complete silencing of our nation’s health agencies and the imminent confirmation of RFK Jr., ideas such as “Republicans get cancer” can now be chalked up as liberal fearmongering.
- Soccermom - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:32 pm:
can someone please remind everybody that this is OUR money. WE sent it to DC. It’s not their money, it’s ours. Our tax dollars.
- Norseman - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:32 pm:
=== I worry that Democrats don’t have the communication skills ===
Favorite target for blame. I don’t see it as that simple. I’m more worried that the firehose of stuff (putting it politely) that MAGA is doing will overwhelm the already lame coverage by the MSM. Of course, the propaganda channels will be in full spread the fertilizer mode. The stakeholders affected by the cuts need to be fully engaged in spreading the message about what the impact will be on ordinary red and purple Americans. [I’m not unconcerned about blue Americans, it’s just that Trump voters don’t relate to us.]
- Pundent - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:32 pm:
I keep hearing that Democrats are out of touch with blue collar workers. Well those folks will now bear the brunt of these actions. And the “elites” will escape largely unscathed. But that’s what folks voted for.
- Anyone Remember - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:33 pm:
===“Freezing federal funding that has already been allocated by Congress is unconstitutional.===
First, it is a violation of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974. Based upon that law, appropriations =must= be expended - the President can’t refuse to expend funds.
“… the power of the purse is vested in the Congress as laid down in the Constitution of the United States, Article I, Section 9, Clause 7 (the Appropriations Clause) and Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 (the Taxing and Spending Clause).”
SCOTUS has consistently said presidents can’t refuse to expend appropriations. Of course, SCOTUS isn’t the same as in the past … .
Perhaps Trump has an “alternative facts” view of all this?
- Friendly Bob Adams - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:33 pm:
Another example: the US Department of Education funds special education programs, vocational rehabilitation for people with disabilities, and other grants to states, as well as student loans (FAFSA). I don’t see Republican governors supporting these shutdowns due to the impact on their states.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:33 pm:
===This is a thing that spins itself===
Not necessarily. During the impasse, it took a bit to push reporters into covering the damage that Rauner was doing. Even then, some just brushed it off.
Slashing autism funding on World Autism Day was an exception. lol
- just because - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:34 pm:
This is what Rauner did with the states budget.. Don’t pay anything and see how long they can survive. Many didn’t. Many took years to come back. Now Trump is doing it on a national level. When will people wake up and stop this tyrant and we are only 8 days into this!
- Jibba - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:35 pm:
Anything beyond an All-American peanut butter and jelly sandwich is Marxist. Especially if you substitute a piece of fruit for the chips.
- Rudy’s teeth - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:36 pm:
To decimate programs designed to support nutrition, education, and health care is a truly unforgivable act. Those who live in gilded cages cause much grief to those who do not.
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:37 pm:
==The point you are looking for is when Elon Musk, Richard Uihlein, Peter Thiel, et al no longer have the money for their whispering of the word “primary” to be a credible threat. That point is very well off in the distance.==
Given what’s going on in the tech industry now, Musk and Theil are all of a sudden a lot closer.
==Not necessarily. During the impasse, it took a bit to push reporters into covering the damage that Rauner was doing. Even then, some just brushed it off.==
While many reporters eventually did fine work on that story, I don’t think the voters really cared until they “felt” it. That’s what I think will happen here. No one needs a good comms strategy to make people mad when they can’t see a doctor.
- ArchPundit - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:38 pm:
I’m hearing from work that Pell grants and direct loans are not affected and yet they are on the spreadsheet. It’s safe to say no one fully understands what the admin is doing or even trying to do, but the chaos is part of the point.
====uring the impasse, it took a bit to push reporters into covering the damage that Rauner was doing. Even then, some just brushed it off.
Many took it as evidence the government could get along not realizing the long term damage even short term chaos creates.
- Soccermom - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:40 pm:
What happens to university funding?
- Garfield Ridge Guy - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:40 pm:
==This is what Rauner did with the states budget.. Don’t pay anything and see how long they can survive. Many didn’t. Many took years to come back. Now Trump is doing it on a national level. When will people wake up and stop this tyrant and we are only 8 days into this!==
I think it is a great favor to the Trump Administration to conflate “not reaching a budget with the General Assembly” and “not pay out funds that have already been appropriated under an existing budget.” Whatever you think of the Rauner Administration’s choices during the impasse, the actions of the Trump Administration here are significantly different and worse.
This comment is not intended as an endorsement of what happened during the Rauner years. What Trump is doing is unprecedented, and it’s confusing and counterproductive to pretend it is precedented.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:42 pm:
You don’t need to spin it. This is just another plainly unconstitutional action by King Donald.
- Give Us Barabbas - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:44 pm:
The schadenfreude of seeing redhats suffer from the weaponization of federal funding gives no satisfaction in this case. Of course he’s cruel and crude; his voters love that about him. Media needs to ride this story hour by hour to get it into the bluntskull demographic what is happening to them, as well as the “others” they despise. Also, how ‘bout them egg prices?
- ArchPundit - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:45 pm:
====What happens to university funding?
We don’t know. On one hand, I’ve heard that Politico had a quote that direct loans and pell grants are exempted, but on they are both on the spreadsheet Rich has posted.
- ArchPundit - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:47 pm:
—I think it is a great favor to the Trump Administration
I would disagree here. Rauner spent money that was not appropriated to keep the state government running. That’s essentially the same usurpation of legislative authority as not spending money that is appropriated.
- Firefighter Bob - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:49 pm:
Democrats need to wake up and learn how to be an effective opposition party. Right now they are being swallowed by Trump’s “shock and awe”, disaster capitalism doctrine and working class folks across the country are the ones who are going to get eaten up by it all.
- Pot calling kettle - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:57 pm:
==I wonder at one point does the wide-spread and severe suffering of their constituents force GOP members of Congress and governors to push back - hard?==
When constituents start calling their GOP Congresspeople in large numbers. I thought it would take a year or two; Trump seems to be moving up that timeline bigly.
- Annonin' - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 12:58 pm:
Some might recall the time taken to convince GovJunk to allow spending fed funds which he did not control.
- Bungalowhistorians - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 1:00 pm:
Rep. Rich McCormick, R-GA has said that “kids use school lunches to sponge off the government.” He was quoted in an NBC article as saying they should get jobs. It is so hard for me to wrap my head around the cruelty of some of these people. Now the entire country will get to experience our nightmare of the Rauner years and those who can least afford it will suffer. It will take years to recover.
- SAW - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 1:08 pm:
@ArchPundit - student loans and Pell grants are not the only source of funding for universities. Research universities depend on federal research grants from many different agencies (NIH, NSF, DOE, DOD, NASA, etc.) This is a disaster affecting so many different groups.
We all really need to push back on this with volume and urgency.
- Flyin'Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 1:10 pm:
With a number of Bost’s constituents relying heavily on these programs I look forward to Representative Present’s response.
- ArchPundit - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 1:13 pm:
===@ArchPundit - student loans and Pell grants are not the only source of funding for universities. Research universities depend on federal research grants from many different agencies
Oh, I’m very aware. I was just referring to the two major programs in which there isn’t a clear answer and have the most immediate effect. Those grant funds are all paused along with student focused programs like TRiO. A lot of them will have funds drawn recently if the universities were paying attention to what was coming so may not be impacted immediately.
While I’m on a mix of funding, my team was awarded a grant over the holidays that is now a part of the impoundment.
- wildcat12 - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 1:22 pm:
=No one needs a good comms strategy to make people mad when they can’t see a doctor.=
No, but you do when MAGA will somehow blame the Democrats for why they can’t see a doctor.
- Candy Dogood - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 1:23 pm:
Based off of the crickets one would think that none of the Republican office holders have any constituents that rely on Medicaid.
At this point I think it is foolish to expect any response from those people that is anything other than complacency at this lawlessness that worsens the lives of the people that sent them to congress.
- Anotheretiree - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 1:24 pm:
I don’t think lawsuits will have any efect. He will ignore them.I believe Andrew Jackson set the preccednet by ignorng a SCOTUS order. Even if a judge levels contempt against an officail for ignoring his order, the Dear Leader can pardon that offcial. Our system is flawed in that it relies on the good intentions of the President and Congress.
- ChattyHam - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 1:26 pm:
Most of the federally subsidized loans and grant payments to university students were already drawn down when the spring semester started a couple of weeks ago (mid-January). Those students are fine. However, students who didn’t draw down their loans or Pell grants because they enrolled in a program that began outside the traditional spring semester start-date (e.g., their program had an off-cycle start-date like yesterday) currently can’t access those funds.
- Lagertha's Shield - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 1:29 pm:
As I take everything in today, I keep thinking about a term I learned on this site years ago: OODA loops.
- Stephanie Kollmann - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 1:31 pm:
U of I receives over $400M/year from the federal govt for research. Institutions with medical schools receive proportionately more - UIC receives ~$360M
In my opinion, higher education is being purposely and potentially irreparably attacked and is (among may other sectors of society) not reacting proportionately.
https://research.illinois.edu/sites/default/files/UIUC_Research-Report_Digital.pdf
https://research.uic.edu/about/2024-research-funding/
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 1:33 pm:
==No, but you do when MAGA will somehow blame the Democrats for why they can’t see a doctor.==
Do you? MAGA is not the only kind of voter out there.
- To be fair - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 1:35 pm:
To be fair both parties have tried this. For example Biden stopped building the border wall and was selling off the panels. Even though Congress authorized the funding.
- Stephanie Kollmann - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 1:41 pm:
Also: NO one who isn’t defending the administration should call this a “pause.” “Interruption,” “interference,” and “halt” work for journalists. For the rest of us, “attack” is a sufficiently mild term.
By repeating “pause,” you are implicitly accepting the that funding will be restored, when the clear and also-stated intent is that some of it certainly will not be.
- Roadrager - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 1:47 pm:
==To be fair both parties have tried this. For example Biden stopped building the border wall and was selling off the panels.==
To be fair, bending over that far backwards could cause severe spinal issues for you, even if you do stretch and limber up beforehand.
- Honeybear - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 1:50 pm:
Folks, I work in the “Aid Office” in the third highest concentration of poverty in the state.
This is beyond apocalyptic.
The most horrific thing to me is knowing what is about to happen to them,
And they don’t know it yet.
I have to hold my composure with them sitting across from me
knowing
absolutely knowing
They aren’t going to get medical care.
They won’t get a Doctors appointment
They won’t get that perscription
They’re going to go to the hospital because something is very wrong
They may or may not be given care
But you know they’re gonna get the full medical bill
And that will ruin them.
Can any of us imagine how awful fully losing medical assistance will be?
And this is time sensitive. If you ran out of your heart medication, pain medication, etc. You’re immediately literally in a world of hurt.
And all for a leverage play. Rauner showed us this card.
Remove social services and the democrats will fold to any demand.
Only a person who cannot feel emotions or cannot feel care for another human being would do such a thing.
Think about if your loved one was on Medicaid.
Think about if your mom couldn’t see her doctor
Think about your child being in pain and you can’t get pain medication.
Think about yourself being turned away from medical care.
This is against humanity any way you put it.
The problem is that people with this condition don’t feel accountability, responsibility, remorse or shame.
We can’t shame them. They won’t feel it. Actually I shouldn’t say that. Some did when the Right Reverend asked them to be merciful.
Please don’t shield yourself with legalese or punditry. Really try to imagine how you would feel if you or your loved one was denied care.
If you can’t do it, then God have mercy on you.
- Larry Bowa Jr. - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 1:51 pm:
“I worry that Democrats don’t have the communication skills to fully articulate how egregious this is.”
Maybe media could, acting on its own volition, tell the truth about what is happening in the country? Kind of their entire reason to exist, considering how little entertainment value the product has at this point. No question they wanted another 4 years where all they had to do was hit refresh and write about tweets but it’s not going to be that way again.
- Notatechie - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 1:52 pm:
Are all States impacted by this move? Why only 20 states suing?
- P. - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 1:57 pm:
*To be fair both parties have tried this. For example Biden stopped building the border wall and was selling off the panels. Even though Congress authorized the funding.*
Yeah man first no one knows what you are talking about because it’s right wing nonsense but since I do, Congress ordered DOD to sell the border wall materials, and two that’s definitely the same as gutting trillions in funding great point.
- ArchPundit - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 1:57 pm:
=== A lot of them will have funds drawn
As I see my leadership is just now advising drawing funds before 5:00 PM. I will say this should have been obvious back before the 20th.
—- For example Biden stopped building the border wall and was selling off the panels. Even though Congress authorized the funding.
This is a misstatement of what was done. Border control devices are more than a wall and Biden focused on other means of securing the border that are more effective than a wall. This includes surveillance technology that actually monitors border crossing areas.
- Soccermom - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 1:59 pm:
Medicaid funds lots of nursing homes. How long will they stay open?
- Moved East - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 1:59 pm:
To Be Fair - no, Biden stopped funding Trump’s emergency declaration to build the wall, which was in of itself a run around Congress. Once Congress appropriated funds, Biden said he could do nothing to stop it. Facts matter.
- Former Downstater - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 2:01 pm:
How hard would it be for blue states, the states that actually fund this country, to withhold payments to the Federal Government until this madness ends?
- Cool Papa Bell - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 2:02 pm:
“I worry that Democrats don’t have the communication skills to fully articulate how egregious this is.”
I’ve been thinking about this very thing for a few months now. There needs to be clear and consistent approaches to talking about the harm done here. The messaging needs to be basic and adjusted to communicate to specific groups all over the US. Then it needs to be tied back to specific local lawmakers.
- Honeybear - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 2:04 pm:
Soccermom, not long. And it will start with them not making payroll which will exacerbate the poverty levels. A sizable percentage of Snap recipients work in nursing homes because that’s one of the few jobs that always needs employees. Now they won’t get help getting certified as a CNA and they can’t work at a nursing home that goes under. They’ll put work requirements back on and not approve any waivers and it’s…like I said
beyond apocalypic
- New Day - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 2:08 pm:
The cruelty is the point.
- Peter Kowalski in Champaign - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 2:10 pm:
I don’t believe Senator Durbin is correct, that the President not spending all of an appropriation is unconstitutional. I believe it is a Law passed by Congress when Durbin was a Congressman. I imagine within two weeks 96 to 97% of the dollars will begin to flow again.
- I-55 Fanatic - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 2:12 pm:
==Why only 20 states suing?==
To this and basically every other question about how people are responding, keep in mind that it’s been less than 24 hours since the OMB memo dropped. Literally everyone is operating on sketchy information, and no one actually knows what is going to happen next.
- ArchPundit - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 2:13 pm:
===I don’t believe Senator Durbin is correct,
Which part of Article II gives the President the power of appropriation?
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 2:18 pm:
===I imagine===
Nobody cares about your imagination.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 2:18 pm:
I like AG Raoul’s statement. No need to make this more complicated. There is a SchoolHouse Rock song about the three branches of government.
- It's Just a Pill - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 2:19 pm:
His handle is To Be Fair, not To Be Accurate
- Anyone Remember - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 2:20 pm:
===I don’t believe Senator Durbin is correct, that the President not spending all of an appropriation is unconstitutional.===
It is. Nixon had spending vetoes overridden, and he announced they wouldn’t spend the appropriation - he was “impounding” them. The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Act of 1974 made such things legally, essentially codifying the Constitutional Congressional Power of the Purse. Nixon signed it less than 30 days before he resigned. Believe there were some SCOTUS cases, also.
- P. - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 2:26 pm:
*“I worry that Democrats don’t have the communication skills to fully articulate how egregious this is.”*
The six AGs that did a call this afternoon did a really great job - concise and used facts to demonstrate the impact and illegality of what is happeniing. I’m hopeful based on that. Also we did this seven or eight years ago in Illinois. The attacks by Rauner on services and providers we value and need brought the Democrats together. Considering this is potentially worse, there should be no shortage of short term terrible scenarios to describe. It took awhile but the attacks were fine tuned and effective. That playbook is a fine starting point.
- Anon324 - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 2:33 pm:
==Believe there were some SCOTUS cases, also==
There are no SCOTUS cases that address the constitutionality of the Impoundment Act. This is all out of the playbook from Russell Vought (nominee for OMB director) and his Center for Renewing America, and they are banking on SCOTUS striking that Act down on the basis of “history and tradition.”
- Anyone Remember - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 2:40 pm:
===There are no SCOTUS cases that address the constitutionality of the Impoundment Act.===
Was speaking more about “Power of the Purse” … should have stated that more clearly. Thanks.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 28, 25 @ 2:45 pm:
I’m closing this down and starting a new thread https://capitolfax.com/2025/01/28/trump-administration-starts-at-least-a-partial-walk-back-after-furor/