[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 28, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S441-S442]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDERS

  Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I am honored to join my colleagues 
here

[[Page S442]]

on the floor tonight, but we all wish we weren't here. We should not be 
here. We are here because the Trump administration, last night, swept 
the country into chaos.
  We are here because it is a break-the-glass moment for our democracy. 
The unconstitutional and unilateral decision to halt congressionally 
mandated funding is against the law. It is against the Constitution. It 
is against the Impoundment Control Act. That is the reason why a judge, 
this afternoon, ordered that it be stopped--but only temporarily, until 
February 3. And then we are in uncharted waters.
  This action is totally unprecedented on this scale and scope. Let's 
call it what it is. It is theft. President Trump is stealing money from 
people's pockets and pocketbooks and wallets, threatening their ability 
to pay rent, heat homes. It is imperiling programs around my State and 
the country that provide shelter for the homeless, suicide prevention 
for veterans, healthcare for people who are uninsured. The list is 
endless. That is not hyperbole.
  And just in the last 24 hours since this news broke, Connecticut 
organizations are already feeling the impact, and they are contacting 
me, reaching out in fear and worry. I have been fielding concerns from 
constituents who are already seeing the impact in doctors demoralized 
and food insecurity workers dispirited.
  Some community health centers were unable to access Federal funding 
this morning, and many of them are weighing furloughs and cuts to 
essential services. One nonprofit, in Groton, that provides critical 
mental health services to children doesn't know if they are going to 
have the Federal funding necessary to pay their staff.
  Connecticut Head Start will be operating on a deficit as of February 
7 if they can't access Federal funding, putting the entire program at 
risk.
  Amtrak's ``state of good repair'' backlog for the Northeast corridor 
is tens of billions of dollars alone, estimated at $78.7 billion in 
2023. This funding is critical for safety concerns, reliability, 
repairs along the Amtrak rail lines--funding like the Connecticut River 
Bridge Replacement Project and the Gateway Hudson Tunnel Replacement 
Project that will ensure passenger rail safety throughout New England.
  This freeze on funding threatens all of those projects. It imperils 
the Federal-State partnership for intercity passenger rail and 
consolidated rail infrastructure.
  I know that this kind of blizzard of terms seems abstract and 
hypothetical to a lot of people, but it is real to contractors who need 
to meet their payroll and pay for gas for their machines and trucks.
  This kind of draconian dictatorial measure imperils a hundred 
thousand households in Connecticut that rely on LIHEAP to meet their 
home energy needs. Uncertainty about Federal funding leaves these 
vulnerable families unsure of whether they are going to be able to heat 
their homes right now in the middle of winter.
  It has a trickle-down effect on organizations that don't benefit from 
Federal dollars. Just one example, a Connecticut program that provides 
supplemental energy assistance for households that don't qualify for 
LIHEAP expressed concern that they are going to face an unsustainable 
deluge of demand if Federal funding is halted.
  I was in Connecticut just yesterday--it seems like an age ago--
announcing a Reconnecting Communities Pilot Grant Program in New Haven. 
I joined the mayor of New Haven and Representative Rosa DeLauro to 
announce that New Haven was awarded $2 million to reconnect 
neighborhoods--an exciting and inspiring project to bring communities 
together, increase housing and social and economic opportunities. Now, 
residents of New Haven will be kept in waiting.
  I was with Connecticut farmers. Just yesterday, we were celebrating 
millions of dollars in disaster assistance for extreme weather events. 
Now, they may not see it for months, maybe never. That is disaster 
resulting from flooding and hail storms. They were counting on this 
disaster recovery aid. Now, they may be deprived of it.
  Connecticut Foodshare, we just talked to them today as well. They are 
anxiously waiting to learn more about the potential impacts to halting 
food assistance, maybe through SNAP, the Emergency Food Assistance 
Program. They are unsure. The President has failed to clarify whether 
it will apply to SNAP. But, clearly, the effect, psychologically, 
creating chaos and confusion, is itself a severe deprivation.
  Museums, many of which run successful education programs critical to 
our students' success, they are halting services. Even a temporary 
pause can have a significant impact on education.
  And for all of these organizations and many others, the effect is not 
only in dollars and cents; it is in demoralizing people who are 
dedicating their lives to public service. They are working in federally 
supported community health centers, making less money, working longer 
hours, doing residencies as young doctors. And what is the expression 
of appreciation? It is telling them: We are stopping. We are halting. 
We are ending the funding.
  It is profoundly disrespectful to those programs that often operate 
as a safety net, whether it is for healthcare or hunger or education. 
It is profoundly destructive to the fabric of our society in the 
greatest Nation in the history on Earth.
  So it is theft. It is not a victimless crime. It is illegal. It won't 
be punishable in a court, but my hope is the American public will rise 
up. They need to be the voice of conscience and conviction in this 
country and say to my Republican colleagues: This isn't a red or blue 
issue. This is about people. It is about everyday Americans who will be 
severely harmed and their children who will bear, perhaps, 
unfortunately and tragically, lasting scars emotionally and maybe 
physically from this destructive impact on their lives.
  I regret that we are here today. I am proud to be with my colleagues. 
I wish we were joined on the other side of the aisle, but I believe 
that they will hear, on the Republican side, despite their silence 
tonight, voices that are loud and clear to them, from the American 
people, that this kind of halt--a dictatorial, illegal stop--in Federal 
funding should violate the conscience of our Nation.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Mexico.

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