Blegh... what happened to my formatting?
Here is an article: https://www.lawfareblog.com/role-omb-withholding-ukrainian-aid with relevant info.
“Once Congress designates money for a program, the executive is typically bound to spend those funds on that program. If the president wants to significantly alter a program’s budget, he is required to obtain congressional approval.
Within these bounds, the White House OMB has some discretion to determine when congressional money can be released to an agency and spent. But this discretion is limited to ensuring that congressional funding lasts for the allotted time and that the money is spent appropriately.
OMB is prohibited from using its “apportionment power” to determine or set an executive agency’s policy. OMB can only use its authority to ensure a congressional law is appropriately executed, and the money allocated for that law typically lasts through the fiscal year unless the money is made available for obligation over a longer period.”
The ultimate answer is there are limits on Executive power and there may have been some kind of violation of the strict letter of the law in the case of the Ukranian aid. Though it is unlikely any kind of punishment or consequence would result were it not for the current Media/Political environment.
“Once Congress designates money for a program, the executive is typically bound to spend those funds on that program. If the president wants to significantly alter a program’s budget, he is required to obtain congressional approval.
Within these bounds, the White House OMB has some discretion to determine when congressional money can be released to an agency and spent. But this discretion is limited to ensuring that congressional funding lasts for the allotted time and that the money is spent appropriately.
OMB is prohibited from using its “apportionment power” to determine or set an executive agency’s policy. OMB can only use its authority to ensure a congressional law is appropriately executed, and the money allocated for that law typically lasts through the fiscal year unless the money is made available for obligation over a longer period.”
The ultimate answer is there are limits on Executive power and there may have been some kind of violation of the strict letter of the law in the case of the Ukranian aid. Though it is unlikely any kind of punishment or consequence would result were it not for the current Media/Political environment.
That’s incorrect, Congress can allocate money but it can’t force the executive to spend it.
And the law required Trump to withhold aid if Ukraine wasn’t cracking down on corruption, Biden was a major example of corruption in Ukraine.