Impoundment Control Act? Executive orders? Appropriations bills? U.S. District Courts? Many of us haven’t seen or heard these phrases since we watched the civics version of School House Rock!, a series of animated educational films first released in the mid-1970s. The song “I’m Just a Bill” explains how a bill becomes a law and the three branches of government.

Now that we are adults and experiencing the uncertainty of a new presidential administration, it may be time for a brief “refresher” civics lesson.

First, we live in a representative democracy, where ordinary people vote for others to represent them in Washington, D.C. These representatives support their constituents’ needs and secure their right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” (see Declaration of Independence).

Second, there are three separate but equal branches of government working on behalf of the American people:

• Legislative – Congress (U.S. House of Representatives + U.S. Senate) drafts and passes laws that reflect our ideas and our values and our needs
• Executive – The President and his/her cabinet (the 25 people leading our nation’s executive departments) enact laws passed by Congress
• Judicial – The U.S. Supreme Court and lower federal district courts interpret and evaluate laws to ensure they align with the U.S. Constitution and do not infringe on Americans’ rights (see Bill of Rights).

Some of the most significant bills Congress considers annually are appropriations bills, which direct our tax dollars to specific federal departments, agencies, and programs.

About two-thirds of all federal spending is mandatory or “non-discretionary,” meaning annual costs are based on the number of eligible people enrolled in a program (think Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare). In other words, “Congress created these programs and can change them, but it doesn’t approve spending for them; they are on autopilot.”

The other third of federal spending is “discretionary” (think defense, housing, education, health and human service programs, etc.). Since lawmakers decide the amount of money each program receives, Congress and the President must approve spending every fiscal year.

In theory, here’s how the process is supposed to work:

• Members of Congress gather and review funding ideas from constituents, advocates, and local and state government agencies and develop financial line items for appropriations bills. The approval process is long and sometimes convoluted (i.e., hearings, subcommittee, and committee meetings, etc.). As representatives of their constituents, congressional representatives and their staff carefully consider the benefits and drawbacks of each funding proposal to their district and the country.
• Once both Congress and the President approve appropriations bills, agencies distribute federal dollars to fund the intended purpose of thousands of programs, agencies, and projects. The President selects people to lead federal departments while Congress confirms or approves them.

The current administration’s attempt to pause federal grant funding in January is an all-to-real example of how easy it is to derail the appropriations process.

Under the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, it is largely illegal for the executive branch to stop the flow of dollars mandated by Congress, representing the American people’s interests (although the President can defer funding to avoid budget shortfalls after alerting Congress).

The President or executive branch members (see Office of Management and Budget memo freezing federal grant assistance) cannot make absolute decisions about congressionally appropriated spending based on differing ideologies or priorities. In this case, federal district courts halted the implementation of the memo to avoid disrupting vital health, education, and human services (think Head Start, Meals on Wheels, cancer research, etc.).

What You Can Do in Five Easy Steps

When financial support for our safety net is threatened, it’s imperative your voice is heard because you can make a difference.

Follow the five simple steps below to stand up and fearlessly fight for your safety net organization because your programs and services provide stability for millions of Americans facing uncertainty.

1. Visit USA.gov and fill in your mailing address to find the federal, state, and local elected officials representing your voting district. A link to their email, as well as all other contact information (including Facebook and X), is available.
2. Check the national membership association or advocacy group that focuses on the work you do. For example, If you work for a housing and homeless services organization, go to the National Alliance to End Homelessness website and fill out the petition to ACT NOW. You also can develop and disseminate your own petition using Change.org.
3. Contact your grant or contract manager today to discuss the potential impacts on your program and organization and whether future grant dollars should be frozen or eliminated.
4. Draw down on available grant or contract funds at once and perform a funding shift assessment to see if you can use other revenue sources to cover the costs of services and programs if federal funds are unavailable. In addition, decide if you can defer any budget items or seek other support resources.
5. Document the impacts of funding delays and other presidential executive actions on your organization by visiting the National Council of Nonprofits’ Effects of Executive Actions on Nonprofits. Be sure to report these expected impacts to local, state, and federal elected officials, as well as other community-based organizations and neighborhood leaders, so they understand how the stroke of a pen in Washington, D.C., changes the lives of people living on “Main Street.”

Our mission at Atromitos is to do better. Together, we can build healthier, more resilient, and more equitable communities where everyone can thrive.