First BIG Screw Up…..
“Hours after the Trump administration announced a sweeping freeze on federal spending, the U.S. government on Tuesday found itself mired in confusion and chaos, as it looked to stave off potential interruptions to programs that promote food safety, combat crime, provide housing aid, produce medical research and respond to natural disasters,” the Washington Post reports.
“Few in Washington appeared to understand the scope and intention of a White House memo that initially directed agencies to ‘temporarily pause’ the disbursement of key funds, leaving thousands of government services — totaling billions of dollars and dedicated primarily to Americans’ health, safety and well-being — at risk of shutting down, at least temporarily.”
“The uncertainty forced the White House to clarify its approach by midday: In a new directive, the Office of Management and Budget said it sought only to bring spending in line with the president’s recent executives orders, including those that clamp down on foreign aid and funding for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, which Trump has called ‘radical and wasteful.’”
Update
State Medicaid programs across the country are reporting they’ve lost access to federal payment portals one day after President Trump announced a freeze on federal grants and aid.
On Monday, acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Matthew Vaeth issued a memo stating agencies must halt “all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all federal financial assistance” to the “extent admissible by applicable law.”
The Hill