$100M Funding Clause in Senate Bill Sparks 'Deeply Concerning' Layoff Fears

A provision in the Senate's version of the budget bill that would allow for millions of dollars to go directly toward the Trump administration's restructuring the Office of Management and Budget has sparked concerns that the move could lead to circumventing Congress in mass layoffs of federal workers. Mass federal layoffs was one of the first moves made by President Donald Trump when he retook office in January. This was done under the oversight of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that was led by top Trump donor and the world's richest man, Elon Musk. The reduction in workforce was a central tenant of OMB's director Russ Vought's vision in Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Republicans that was issued during the 2024 presidential campaign. Trump distanced himself from the project during the campaign, but quickly tapped a number of voices behind it, including Vought, for positions in his administration.

The proposal in the Senate bill, written by the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, would give $100 million to OMB, according to a report by Government Executive. Olinsky says that the move could allow the agency to restructure governmental departments without the seeking the approval of Congress. Olinsky referenced the lawsuits by federal employees fired in DOGE cuts, telling Newsweek: "[This bill is] exactly the kind of thing that the president has been trying to do, I would say, illegally, as he seeks to shut down departments or agencies, or limit [agencies] to a handful of staff down from thousands and do large mass layoffs and other kinds of cuts to entire functions or programs. "So, there would be no further review by Congress, no further action. It would simply be automatic. It is approved by this language without [Congress] having seen it first. "The executive actions that the Trump administration has been taking are absolutely taking Project 2025, the most extreme parts of it, and putting them into effect. And, actually going much further in many cases."

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Rogue Valley said:

$100M funding clause in Senate bill sparks "deeply concerning" layoff fears

"This [bill] would basically give [Trump] carte blanche to refashion the entire federal government," Ben Olinksy told Newsweek.

www.newsweek.com

Borrowing a page from Project 2025, Trump wants the ability to discharge more federal workers not deemed loyal to Trump personally. This provision in the Senate version of Trump's Big Beautiful Bill tax act would provide Trump with that ability.

To any federal workers reading this, if you thought you have escaped the pink slip because Elon Musk is gone, think again. More feseral worker layoffs are in the works. The Senate is scheduled to vote on its version of the BBB tomorrow (Friday).

Trump wants a passed House/Senate version of the BBB on his desk by July 4. Over 9 million Americans would lose their Medicare health insurance and $3 trillion would be added to the voluminous US debt/deficit. The Republicans don't care.

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Integrityrespec said:

I'm pretty sure most people understand that the government is bloated. Too many agencies duplicating services and too many employees doing too little, thus the constant need to hire more "help". Waste, fraud and abuse certainly does exist and we need to cut those out and then we can see where we are. Why do democrats absolutely not want to do this? Yes, they say "we all want to cut fraud" but they haven't done a thing to make it a reality. Instead they just say, many people that need those services will be harmed. Let's make sure that everyone that gets services is entitled to get them.

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Roadvirus said:

The way Trump & Mush have done it is the wrong way.

Wanna cut waste? Then go line-by-line of every agency's spending. See what can be reasonably cut & so long as it causes no long-term adverse effects on efficiency or major inconveniences to the public.

The way Trump & Mush did it was horrible. Trump wanted instant results to parade around with, to hell with the consequences.

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Integrityrespec said:

I'm pretty sure most people understand that the government is bloated. Too many agencies duplicating services and too many employees doing too little, thus the constant need to hire more "help". Waste, fraud and abuse certainly does exist and we need to cut those out and then we can see where we are. Why do democrats absolutely not want to do this? Yes, they say "we all want to cut fraud" but they haven't done a thing to make it a reality. Instead they just say, many people that need those services will be harmed. Let's make sure that everyone that gets services is entitled to get them.

Click to expand...