Joco Today

Washington, D.C. - Senators Roger Marshall and Eric Schmitt, along with their GOP colleagues, have introduced a Congressional Review Act aimed at addressing the Biden Administration's misuse of Covid-19 pandemic-era recovery funds. The Senators are specifically targeting the Department of Treasury's recent rule that permits spending of State and Local Recovery Funds beyond the 2024 deadline.

Senator Marshall expressed his concerns about the ongoing exploitation and abuse of Covid-era funds, stating, "The Biden Administration's ongoing exploitation and abuse of Covid-era funds seemingly never ends. The recent Treasury Department rule permitting spending of State and Local Recovery Funds beyond the 2024 deadline is both wasteful and unjustified. The pandemic is over, what remains however is our staggering national debt. It is past time for fiscal sanity in Washington, and blocking the implementation of this rule is a crucial step."

Senator Schmitt echoed these sentiments, criticizing the Biden Administration for wasteful spending and economic negligence. He remarked, "The Biden Administration has become synonymous with wasteful spending, inflationary policies, and economic negligence. Americans are tired of watching hard-earned tax dollars be thrown away, and the recent move by bureaucrats in Biden's Treasury Department to redefine a critical definition of how money is allocated from SLFRF underscores this administration's disregard for any sort of fiscal responsibility. Standing against business-as-usual out of control spending shouldn't be a partisan issue - I will continue to act as a voice of reason and advocate for spending within our means here in Washington."

Representative Troy Balderson also weighed in on the issue, criticizing the Treasury Department's actions. He stated, "The Biden Treasury Department is scrambling to keep their 'COVID' slush fund up and running even though the public health emergency ended nearly a year ago. After ushering in record inflation through reckless and indulgent spending, the Administration has evidently not learned its lesson. Treasury's Hoarding Rule is a clear abuse of power by the federal bureaucracy in a desperate attempt to circumvent Congress's deadline and prolong their taxpayer-funded cash giveaway. Our legislation will step in and block the Administration from doling out billions of dollars under the guise of a national crisis that has long passed."

The Senators and Representatives leading this effort are joined by several other colleagues who support the review and blocking of the Treasury Department's rule. This includes Senators Tom Cotton, Mike Braun, Marsha Blackburn, Rick Scott, Bill Hagerty, Cynthia Lummis, Ron Johnson, and Joni Ernst. Representative Balderson is leading an identical resolution in the House of Representatives, with support from Representatives Kevin Hern, Ben Cline, Michael Cloud, Randy Weber, Chuck Edwards, Byron Donalds, John Moolenaar, Andrew Clyde, Glenn Grothman, Doug LaMalfa, Kat Cammack, Harriet Hageman, Beth Van Duyne, and Jeff Duncan.

The measure has also gained support from organizations such as Americans For Prosperity, the National Taxpayers Union, and Heritage Action.

The Senators and Representatives argue that the Treasury's definition of an obligation, as outlined in the recent rule, goes against the Government Accountability Office's definition. They highlight the need for a present and definite agreement, stating that an obligation occurs when an order is placed, a contract is signed, a grant is awarded, or a service is purchased.

With the introduction of the Congressional Review Act, these lawmakers hope to address the misuse of Covid-19 recovery funds by the Treasury Department and ensure fiscal responsibility in Washington.