The move to freeze the money was conveyed in a notice this week from the White House Office of Management and Budget to U.S. government officials who work on foreign aid programs. The OMB officials told the agencies that the White House was working on a package of spending freezes, said the two people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal communications. U.S. foreign aid officials had been expecting some sort of effort by the White House to freeze their funding, ever since Trump blasted the bipartisan coronavirus stimulus and spending bill passed by Congress last week. In a surprise video statement, Trump criticized aid going to Cambodia, Myanmar (also known as Burma), Egypt, Pakistan and Central America, among other programs. If Congress does not pass legislation approving the rescission within 45 days, the funds are unfrozen and must be spent as Congress originally intended.

Source: Washington Post December 31, 2020 21:38 UTC