Foreign Assistance Contractors and NGOs Claim the Administration Is Unilaterally Rescinding Funds in Violation of Congress’s Spending Power

The Trump administration has been testing the separation of powers between the Executive and its co-equal branches. In Global Health Council v. Trump, the plaintiffs — foreign assistance contractors and NGOs — claimed that the Administration is “engaging in a unilateral rescission or deferral of congressionally appropriated funds in violation of Congress’s spending power.” Finding that these arguments were likely to prevail, the judge issued a preliminary injunction preventing the impoundment of funds. The government appealed to the DC Circuit. The plaintiff’s recently filed their brief. They argue that the government must spend funds appropriated by Congress, based on the Separation of Powers doctrine.

[pdf-embedder url=”https://cdn.pub-k.org/2025/06/GHC-Plaintiffs-Brief.pdf” title=”GHC Plaintiffs Brief”]