Democratic lawmakers are strategically planning a response to President Donald Trump's efforts to restructure the federal government and its workforce. Senator Tim Kaine highlighted the multi-faceted approach during a rally in support of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
The Trump administration has initiated actions to dismantle USAID and freeze foreign aid, with intentions to abolish it as an independent agency. Senator Kaine mentioned that Democratic lawmakers are actively involved in five lawsuits against the administration.
The objectives of these legal actions include safeguarding federal employees, protecting constitutional rights like birthright citizenship, ensuring proper allocation of funds by Congress, preventing undue influence from private entities within federal agencies, and halting mass deportations.
On the legislative front, Democrats plan to leverage the upcoming budget battle to address these issues. Senator Kaine emphasized their commitment to using budget negotiations to halt the administration's actions before the March 14 deadline. Additionally, Democrats are poised to oppose Republican tax bills as part of their strategy.
Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Brian Schatz have also pledged to block State Department nominees until USAID is reinstated.
