U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen says the Trump administration’s sudden pause of federal grants, loans and other financial assistance programs will result in widespread adverse outcomes.
“This is having a real negative impact on almost everybody, and it's hitting Republicans and Democrats today alike,” said Sorensen, a second-term Democrat from Moline.
Speaking before a federal judge blocked the funding freeze, Sorensen said the move had all sorts of agencies scrambling, from community health systems, Head Start programs, veterans’ services, nonprofit organizations, and other projects that rely on federal dollars.
“These are your tax dollars that you've paid that are coming back for a benefit in our community,” he said, saying it’s the first instance he can recall of the executive branch circumventing the legislative branch in this way. “Now you have a president who says, ‘That that shouldn't happen anymore; it should come through me first.’ And that's not right.”
Sorensen, whose 17th Congressional District includes parts of Peoria, the Quad Cities, Rockford, and Bloomington-Normal, spoke Tuesday afternoon at the Illinois Farmers Union annual meeting in East Peoria.
“We need bipartisanship. We need a Congress that can work together to solve problems, but we can't have it where you have a president that is going to make himself the ‘Supreme Being’ and make sure that he is above the law,” Sorensen told the audience.
Sorensen had been scheduled to appear at an earlier news conference touting a major federal grant for Heartland Health Services. That announcement was preempted following the move by the Trump administration. The $576,250 grant was intended to fund behavioral health service expansion.
“Peoria is going to lose the opportunity to help with mental health care and the opioid crisis. That's what Donald Trump's America is about today, is we're not going to help out anymore,” said Sorensen.
A representative for Heartland Health Services said the federally-qualified health center was still waiting to see how things develop with the grant situation, but offered assurances their clinics remained open for patients on Tuesday.
Darin LaHood's reaction
Meanwhile, reporters asked U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood whether he finds any of the many Trump administration executive orders halting spending troubling. In general, the Peoria-area Republican replied no.
During a stop at a Bloomington business, LaHood said it shouldn't be a surprise that Trump wants a pause on federal grant distributions to review programs because the president ran on that promise.
"I think it's helpful anything in the federal government to try to make sure money is spent in an effective way, particularly when we're $36 trillion in debt," said LaHood.
LaHood said he thinks most federal money flowing to his district is spent efficiently and that a delay won't matter. Some not-for-profits have said they won't be able to cope if the money does not arrive.
Reporters asked LaHood why not review the programs without the freeze to prevent disruption of services?
“I’m going to give the new administration some discretion in what they want to do,” he said. “What they ran on in bringing down our debt, getting the economy back on track, making sure our tax dollars are spent the right way, a review and a pause can be a positive thing long term for taxpayers.”
FBI changes
Some FBI agents have been pushing back against reassignments of anti-terrorism task force leaders to immigration enforcement. They have expressed concern that could weaken anti-terrorism efforts.
LaHood, a former federal prosecutor whose committee assignments include national security issues, was not buying that.
“I think that’s a false equivalent. I think we can walk and chew gum at the same time. I think focusing our federal resources on fixing the broken immigration problem is something the American people spoke about,” said LaHood.
Foreign aid
Another order freezing foreign aid affects everything from land mine removal and HIV medication and health clinics in Africa to aid to Taiwan and Ukraine. It does not affect U.S. aid to Israel and Egypt, which were exempted. LaHood said he is on board with the thrust of that order, too. He noted that foreign aid makes up less than 0.5% of the federal budget.
“I think what the president is doing in taking a pause to make sure the money is being spent correctly, but for Israel and Egypt [it's] is the right approach to take. Now, are there some consequences to that? Yes. But we should make sure that every taxpayer dollar that’s being shipped overseas is being spent the correct way,” said LaHood. “I have no doubt that there is waste, fraud, and abuse in our foreign aid that can be replicated.”
Inspectors general
A major function of inspectors general at federal agencies is rooting out that waste fraud and abuse. Trump has moved precipitously to fire people now in those positions. Whether he can do so immediately rather than through a longer process is a contested point.
Reporters asked LaHood whether the action fits the stated administration sensibility in favor of efficiency. LaHood characterized the move as part of the routine in any change in administration.
“We’ll have new inspector generals that come in that will be independent and look out for the best interest of taxpayers and tax dollars. ... I support the president as long as he replaces them quickly and allows them to do the job they need to do,” said LaHood.
Money approved by Congress
LaHood also backed Trump's assertion of executive privilege in declining to spend money passed by Congress in the Inflation Reduction Act infrastructure law.
"There's a lot of money that hasn't been spent yet that will be clawed back," said LaHood, adding it is legal to not spend money appropriated by Congress.
"The answer is yes, depending on what provision of the IRA and infrastructure bill," he said.
He said that may require legislative action to support the president's spending cuts. He acknowledged contractually obligated money may be more difficult to cancel.
He also agreed some executive orders will face court tests, including one to end birthright citizenship for babies born in the U.S. to non-citizens.
"I support the president and what he's trying to do there. But clearly in my view that violates the constitution. That will have to go through a litigation process. It will probably end up in the U.S. Supreme Court," said LaHood, who also supports the president's promise to end DEI and other so-called "woke" initiatives.