The Trump administration appears to be reversing course on its order to freeze federal funding. But the move caused chaos for some of the places that depend on that funding the most.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) described the immediate aftermath as “complete pandemonium.” He said he received non-stop calls from people in a panic, and the entire Medicaid payment system temporarily shut down.
"This funding freeze can be described with the three Cs: chaotic, careless, cruel,” Schumer said. “The blast radius of this destructive decision will be felt in every corner of New York."
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) said as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, she was deeply alarmed. Gillibrand said a federal funding freeze would have the power to hurt police officers, firefighters, service members, schools, senior citizens, and more. Plus, it could put ongoing projects like the Interstate-81 rebuild in jeopardy.
She said it was an attempt by the president to usurp Congress’ responsibility.
"It is literally a takeover of an entire arm of the federal government,” Gillibrand said. “It is not Trump's responsibility to allocate and decide where money is spent. That is Congress' sole purview."
While the White House rescinded the Office of Management and Budget memo that initially ordered the freeze, Schumer said he expects the fight to continue.
"They're going to try to find every which way to get this done, but we are going to stand there and stop them,” he said. “Like they felt the heat on this, they're going to feel the heat on any other time."
