Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins has denounced the pocket rescission move as illegal.
Posted by The Lawfare Podcast, Checked
- Sources
- 4 support1 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 90%
The Lawfare PodcastOct 8, 2026
… It’s the second time the Trump administration has used the maneuver after the Supreme Court let the pocket rescission of about $4 billion in foreign assistance funds go forward last year. Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins and Democratic appropriators have denounced the move as illegal, the Government Accountability Office agrees, and seven states (among other plaintiffs) have already sued. …
Multiple sources dated 2026-09-25 to 2026-09-29 show Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins publicly called the $810 million pocket rescission illegal, quoting her statements calling it a 'clear violation of the law' and 'unlawful'. The claim is true as of 2026-10-08, and the extraction faithfully reflects the passage's statement that she denounced the move as illegal.
The host relays this claim without endorsing it. It counts as passed on, not against the post.
This claim is about the present, so it is judged as of the day it was checked.
What we found
Supports. Politico and NBC News quote Collins calling the pocket rescission move illegal and a 'clear violation of the law' shortly after the White House announcement on September 25, 2026.[3][4]
Supports. Press Herald reports Collins said the administration is illegally usurping Congress's power and that she is considering legal action, reaffirming her position on September 29.[5]
Supports. The University of Washington federal relations page quotes Collins stating that any rescission without congressional approval is 'a clear violation of the law' and that she will work to address 'these illegal actions.'[2]
Context. Collins also denounced the same mechanism in 2025 when $4.9 billion in foreign aid was canceled, per Reuters, showing a consistent position.[1]
Sources
5 sources: 1 fact-checker, 1 primary, 2 tier 2, 1 not rated
- 1Trump cancels $4.9 billion in foreign aid, escalating ...reuters.com · fact-checker · cited for: context
- 2Appropriators Push Back on Pocket Rescissionwashington.edu · primary source · cited for: supports
- 3Trump cancels $1B in federal spending in latest challenge ... - Politicopolitico.com · tier 2 · cited for: supports
- 4Lawmakers slam Trump’s ‘unlawful’ move to cut $810 million in federal fundsnbcnews.com · tier 2 · cited for: supports
- 5For 2nd straight year, Collins calls Trump spending move ...pressherald.com · not rated · cited for: supports
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
Related claims
- The Government Accountability Office has agreed that the pocket rescission move is illegal.True
- Susan Collins serves as the chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.True
- The Trump administration is using the rescission process to refuse expenditures that Congress has directed.True
- Seven states have sued over the Trump administration's pocket rescission move.True
- The current pocket rescission involves $800 million in funds.True