Not so long ago, both Republican and Democratic presidents understood that America’s security required us to promote health and justice. That’s why, in 2003, Republican President George W. Bush the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). That program credited with saving 26 million lives so far, mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa.
But if Congress does what Donald Trump wants, PEPFAR’s budget for this year will be cut by $400 million. That’s part of a larger attempt by the Trump regime to claw back $9.4 billion in federal funds Congress had already approved for foreign aid and other programs — all to fund tax cuts for those that really matter to them — the wealthy and big corporations.
The Constitution clearly gives the “power of the purse” to Congress. But Trump and too many Republicans are ignoring its plain language and overturning 250 years of our history. In fealty to their billionaire and big business puppet masters, these Republicans are willfully forsaking their duty to the people who elected them and handing their power over to Trump.
Demand your members of Congress reassert their constitutional authority over federal spending and reject Trump’s attempt to rescind billions of funding that Congress already approved.