The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) said this week that so-called pocket rescissions, a controversial maneuver that President Trump’s budget office is considering to reduce spending, are not legal, potentially throwing a wrench into the administration’s plans.

A pocket rescission occurs when the president asks Congress to cancel already approved funding close to the end of the fiscal year, putting a hold on the money so it's unlikely to ever be spent. While Congress has 45 days to approve or deny a rescissions request, a pocket rescission essentially runs out that clock.

Democrats are expecting Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought to employ a pocket rescission sometime before the Sept. 30 government funding deadline so that the administration can claw back

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