The proposal, which was introduced on Monday morning, would repeal the Impoundment Control Act that prohibits presidents from substituting their own spending decisions over what was passed in Congress. The bill comes as Trump has indicated he plans to challenge impoundment laws to cut government spending, a proposal that has been praised by several in his close circles. 

“Rolling back the unconstitutional Impoundment Control Act is one of the most effective ways Congress can help President Trump in the fight to deliver the spending cuts and government efficiency that the American people overwhelmingly voted for,” Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA), who is leading the effort, said in a statement. 

MEET THE NEW CONGRESS: THE HOUSE AND SENATE FRESHMEN ELECTED TO SERVE NEXT YEAR

The Impoundment Control Act was passed by Congress in 1974 amid funding disputes with then-President Richard Nixon, whom lawmakers accused of withholding congressionally approved funds for programs he opposed. 

While Congress holds the power of the purse, the president is ultimately responsible for spending funds based on how lawmakers propose to allocate them. The ICA provides a process the president must follow if he seeks to delay or withhold that funding — a process the group of GOP lawmakers and Trump now wish to repeal. 

“Every President from George Washington to Richard Nixon possessed this tool to cut wasteful spending until the ICA purported to divest the President of this critical power,” Clyde said. “In the fifty years since, America’s national debt and Washington’s spending habits have soared out of control. We must defend the presidential power of impoundment to get America’s fiscal house back in order.” 

The proposal has bicameral support, with Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) introducing a companion bill in the Senate.

The bill is unlikely to get a vote this year, as Congress is scheduled to adjourn on Thursday. However, it’s a glimpse into what Republicans are expected to prioritize when they have control of both the House and Senate beginning Jan. 3. 

The House-led bill has already garnered support from 17 other Republican co-sponsors, including Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Dan Bishop (R-NC), Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Tim Burchett (R-TN), Eric Burlison (R-MO), Byron Donalds (R-FL), Bob Good (R-VA), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Clay Higgins (R-LA), Mary Miller (R-IL), Alex Mooney (R-WV), Barry Moore (R-AL), Troy Nehls (R-TX), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Chip Roy (R-TX), Tom Tiffany (R-WI), and Randy Weber (R-TX). 

Of those, at least two — Bishop and Good — will not be co-sponsors when the bill is reintroduced next year as they will no longer be in Congress.