Media Contact:
Jordan Baker
jbaker@frac.org
202-640-1118
Statement attributable to Crystal FitzSimons, interim president, Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)
WASHINGTON, January 28, 2025 — Last evening, President Trump’s Office of Management and Budget issued memorandum M-25-13, freezing federal financial assistance to states, families, and communities, effective 5 p.m. Eastern today, Tuesday, January 28. This action is a clear violation of the law, as the president does not have the authority to withhold appropriated funds. Congress has enacted several laws to prevent such overreach, including the Appropriations Clause, the Purpose Statute, and the Impoundment Control Act. It also undermines the constitutional principle of checks and balances.
FRAC is especially concerned about the grave potential ramifications any disruption to vital nutrition and other essential programs will have in increasing hunger and hardship in America.
This directive will only create chaos, confusion, and inefficiency across the country. The millions of people in America who rely on federal programs to help meet their basic needs must be able to trust that they will have uninterrupted access to the critical resources these programs provide. People must be able to depend on the promises made by Congress.
FRAC calls on Congress to defend its constitutional powers and urges the Trump administration to ensure that federal resources are distributed in accordance with the law and to the communities that depend on them.
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The Food Research & Action Center improves the nutrition, health, and well-being of people struggling against poverty-related hunger in the United States through advocacy, partnerships, and by advancing bold and equitable policy solutions. To learn more, visit FRAC.org and follow us on LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky.
