Majority of US Foreign Humanitarian Aid in Peril After Today's Ruling?

By david_reinstein @ 2025-08-13T21:42 (+32)

This is a linkpost to https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/13/humanitarian-groups-cannot-challenge-trumps-impoundment-of-foreign-aid-grants-appeals-court-rules-00507106?utm_source=chatgpt.com

 More detail at NY Times, if you can access my gift link

As I understand it:
The executive branch/ DOGE froze programs, in effect proposing to cut about $60 billion, and ended USAID, transferring the portfolio to the State Department. 

Congress approved cuts ('recissions') of about $9 billion.

This left the majority, about $50B still allocated but unspent, 

Some courts pushed back on the DOGE cancellation. 

Aid groups sued to force the administration to spend this allocated money under the Impoundment Control Act.  Today's ruling said that the AID groups don't have standing to sue for this, only the U.S. Comptroller General (through GAO).

Next steps:
 The aid groups can appeal this further (And said they would do). 

If they lose, only the GAO can appeal. I guess that seems unlikely. Although they did do for the Institute of Museum and Library Services.  This might be the most actionable/influenceable avenue? 

It seems like congressional pressure could make a big difference here. Realistically, some Republicans would have to stand up against Trump for foreign humanitarian aid. Seems unlikely but possible if the winds change or there is a lot of pressure. 

If all this fails, I guess the executive can and will completely block $50 billion in humanitarian foreign aid spending?  At a likely cost of ~14 million lives?!