Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) argued that President Joe Biden is seeking to “Trump-proof” the government before he leaves the White House next month, which will see President-elect Donald Trump be inaugurated on Jan. 20.
Lee’s statement comes after the Biden administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency selected 105 applications for its Community Change Grants Program, costing almost $1.6 billion. In assessing Biden’s spending before he leaves office, Lee noted that as long as Biden is president, the party supporting “bigger government” and “more spending” will be at an advantage thanks to the Impoundment Control Act of 1974.
“And that’s what is so tragic about this,” Lee said on Fox News’s The Ingraham Angle. “They’re trying to Trump-proof our government to insulate themselves from the election.”
As such, Lee addressed a recent bill he introduced with Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA), which would repeal the Impoundment Control Act. Lee explained how this act “ties the hands” of presidents to prevent them from “cleaning up messes” like the nation’s debt and that the bill he co-introduced would help remedy this.
The topic of cutting government waste was highlighted by Trump’s presidential campaign ahead of the 2024 election, with the president-elect forming the Department of Government Efficiency since winning the election. Co-headed by billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who are both Trump allies, many Republicans have expressed enthusiasm for DOGE to get to work once Trump takes office.
In promoting his legislation to repeal the Impoundment Control Act, Lee noted how this bill would “kick-start” DOGE’s mission.
It’s absurd to forbid the President, America’s Chief Executive, from saving taxpayer dollars and eliminating wasteful spending.
Proud to introduce this bill with @Rep_Clyde to repeal the Impoundment Control Act and kickstart the @DOGE mission! https://t.co/9GBP3sy6Sa
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee)
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The Utah senator also addressed Trump’s intention to end birthright citizenship, adding that the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution could provide a way to make this happen. Specifically, the 14th Amendment states that “all persons born in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof” are residents of the U.S., with Lee arguing that “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” is a phrase that “can and should be defined by Congress.”
Trump previewed his plans to end birthright citizenship earlier this month, stressing the need to end it and calling it “ridiculous.” He also stated he was planning to end it in his first term in office but shifted his attention to addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.
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