Bill would let president unilaterally block spending Congress approved
S. 3951 — Balanced Budget Responsibility Act of 2026 · Filed by Rick Scott (R-FL) · Introduced Feb 26, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill would allow the President to unilaterally refuse to spend money Congress has already appropriated — up to the amount needed to balance the budget — without going through Congress. The only exceptions are Medicare and Social Security. This gives the President power to effectively veto spending decisions Congress made, bypassing the normal legislative process.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is a grant of unilateral executive discretion to withhold appropriated funds. It is not a budget-balancing measure (it does not cut spending or raise revenue); it is a transfer of spending authority from Congress to the President, framed as a deficit-reduction tool.
What the text implies
- The bill exempts only Medicare and Social Security by name, leaving all other mandatory spending (veterans benefits, federal employee pensions, Medicaid, SNAP, housing assistance, etc.) subject to presidential withholding.
- The President's determination of a deficit is made 'in consultation with' Treasury and OMB — no requirement for independent verification, GAO review, or congressional notification before withholding begins.
The full analysis lists 5 implications of this text.
Who it affects
Citizens lose democratic control over federal spending. Congress appropriates money through a deliberative process; this bill lets the President unilaterally refuse to spend it, effectively rewriting the budget without legislative consent.