1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I’m writing to express deep concern—and honestly, disbelief—over the House and Senate votes allowing the executive branch to rescind $9 billion in foreign aid and public broadcasting funds. This isn’t just about a budget cut. This is about Congress willingly surrendering its constitutional authority—specifically, the power of the purse. That’s not just another task on your to-do list. It’s one of the core responsibilities that defines our system of checks and balances. And last I checked, checks and balances are not optional. The Senate vote—especially the 51 Republicans who pushed it through—wasn’t strong leadership. It was weakness. It was cowardice. It was a shrug in the face of a president who wants to do whatever he wants, with no accountability. Congress is supposed to guard the purse, not hand it over like a gift. If this Congress continues to abdicate its role, then what exactly are you doing? Lawmaking and budgeting are the job. Rubber-stamping executive decisions is not. I urge you to push back against this erosion of Congressional authority. Restore the funding and restore some backbone to the institution you’re supposed to serve.