Trump can give the Republican members of the House and Senate who disgraced themselves by voting for the second biggest omnibus bill ever - worth $1.3 trillion - without even reading it - a chance to redeem themselves.
The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 has not been used since Ronald Reagan was in power. Basically it says the President can "impound" amounts from the omnibus bill and tell Congress he does not want to spend the money Congress allocated.
"After Congress passes, and the president signs, a spending bill, the president can ask Congress to rescind specific spending items. And crucially, Congress can approve the rescission request with a simple majority vote of each chamber. No filibusters allowed. No cloture votes of 60 senators needed."
It would lay Republican Swamp Monsters bare. They could not hide behind the excuse they have to spend the money to get 60 votes in the Senate and needing Democrat support to pass the bill. Impoundment only requires a simple majority and the Republicans have 51 out of 100 Senators.
Think about it. Trump could go through the omnibus bill and strip out every bit of pork and wasteful spending. He could reduce that $1.3 Trillion Omnibus Bill to less then $1 Trillion and ask "Fiscally Responsible" Republicans to support him.
For a start, he could rescind:
- all spending in excess of what the government departments requested
- the $500 million funding to Planned Parenthood
- Chuck Schumer's billion dollar hole in the ground (tunnel)
- NPR funding
Impoundment will also hold President Trump to account. He has his defense spending - so he cannot use that as an excuse. Now he needs to get in and cut spending like he would in a business that was losing money. Cut, cut, and cut some more !!!
Mr President - please do not let us down.