Power of the Purse Coalition Statement on Potential Unemployment Insurance Executive Order

The Power of the Purse coalition issued the following statement on reports the Trump Administration may seek to extend federal unemployment insurance (UI) benefits through Executive Order.

“Reports indicate that the Trump Administration is considering extending federal unemployment insurance (UI) benefits by reprogramming taxpayer dollars already appropriated by Congress for other purposes. The Power of the Purse coalition is troubled by this potential executive order, and urges the Administration not to engage in a constitutionally dubious executive action as an end-run around Congress.”

“The Power of the Purse coalition, composed of organizations from across the ideological spectrum, was formed to address shared concerns with decades of Congress abdicating its constitutional authority over federal tax and spending matters to the executive branch. The Constitution clearly delineates that the Legislative Branch controls the power of the purse, including the power to lay and collect taxes, and while our organizations take different positions on extending the federal UI bonus—and some of us do not take a position at all—we are united in opposition to the Executive Branch extending this benefit by reprogramming federal dollars in contravention of Congress’s explicit intent.”

The Power of the Purse coalition includes Demand Progress, FreedomWorks, National Taxpayers Union, the Project on Government Oversight, Protect Democracy, and the R Street Institute.