Impeaching Russell Thurlow Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, for high crimes and misdemeanors.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1479 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1479

Impeaching Russell Thurlow Vought, Director of the Office of Management 
             and Budget, for high crimes and misdemeanors.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 6, 2026

    Ms. Kamlager-Dove submitted the following resolution; which was 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Impeaching Russell Thurlow Vought, Director of the Office of Management 
             and Budget, for high crimes and misdemeanors.

    Resolved, That Russell Thurlow Vought, Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget, is impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors, 
and that the following articles of impeachment be exhibited to the 
Senate:

       article i: abuse of power through improper impoundment of 
                  congressionally appropriated funds 

    The Constitution grants Congress exclusive authority over Federal 
appropriations. The executive branch may not refuse to spend funds 
appropriated by Congress except pursuant to authority provided by law.
    In his conduct as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, 
Russell Thurlow Vought abused the powers of his office by implementing 
policies and directives that interfered with Congress' constitutional 
power of the purse.
    Specifically, on January 27, 2025, the Office of Management and 
Budget issued Memorandum M-25-13 directing Federal agencies to 
temporarily pause obligations and disbursements of certain Federal 
financial assistance programs pending review by the Administration.
    The memorandum caused Federal agencies to suspend or delay 
implementation of programs funded through appropriations enacted by 
Congress.
    Subsequent litigation involving the Department of Energy further 
demonstrated that the Administration's withholding of congressionally 
appropriated funds was carried out for political purposes rather than 
pursuant to lawful budgetary authority. In Federal court, the 
Department of Energy acknowledged that political considerations were 
used in evaluating previously awarded clean energy grants and hydrogen 
hub projects, including whether projects were located in States 
perceived to support or oppose the Administration. Internal court 
filings further revealed that Department officials considered the 
political affiliation of affected States when determining which awards 
to terminate.
    These grants had been lawfully appropriated by Congress and 
competitively awarded pursuant to statutory authority. Rather than 
faithfully executing those appropriations, the Administration 
selectively terminated or withheld funding based upon political 
considerations unrelated to congressional directives or the governing 
statutes. Such conduct represents an unconstitutional interference with 
Congress' exclusive authority over appropriations and an abuse of 
executive power.
    The scope of these actions further demonstrates that they were not 
isolated incidents. On October 1, 2025, Director Vought announced the 
termination of approximately $8,000,000,000 in Department of Energy 
projects, after which the Department terminated 321 previously awarded 
grants affecting projects across sixteen States. Those awards had 
already been appropriated by Congress and competitively selected 
through established statutory processes.
    Russell Vought publicly advanced the position that the 
Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 improperly 
restricts Presidential authority over Federal spending.
    During Senate confirmation proceedings, Vought stated that he 
agreed with the view that the Congressional Budget and Impoundment 
Control Act of 1974 is unconstitutional.
    The Government Accountability Office has repeatedly emphasized that 
the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 governs 
executive withholding of appropriated funds and requires congressional 
notification procedures when funds are withheld.
    The Government Accountability Office has reviewed multiple 
executive branch actions involving the withholding or proposed 
rescission of appropriated funds during Vought's tenure at the Office 
of Management and Budget.
    The Government Accountability Office found that transparency 
regarding apportionments is essential to Congress' oversight of Federal 
spending and the exercise of Congress' constitutional power of the 
purse.
    By using the authority of the Office of Management and Budget to 
delay or restrict the availability of congressionally appropriated 
funds while advancing a legal theory that Congress' restrictions are 
unconstitutional, Russell Thurlow Vought abused the authority entrusted 
to his office.
    Wherefore, Russell Thurlow Vought warrants impeachment and trial, 
and removal from office.

article ii: failure to faithfully execute the laws of the united states 

    The Constitution requires executive officers to faithfully execute 
laws enacted by Congress.
    Russell Thurlow Vought failed to faithfully execute Federal 
spending laws by implementing policies that substituted executive 
branch priorities for statutory requirements enacted by Congress.
    Specifically, the Office of Management and Budget directed agencies 
to review Federal financial assistance programs before continuing 
implementation of congressionally authorized spending.
    The executive branch conditioned implementation of certain spending 
programs on compliance with Administration priorities rather than 
solely on requirements enacted by Congress.
    Federal courts have reviewed challenges to executive branch funding 
pauses and issued preliminary relief in cases involving Federal 
financial assistance.
    The Administration's funding restrictions affected programs funded 
through congressional appropriations, including grants and assistance 
programs.
    The Government Accountability Office has noted that the 
Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 prohibits 
officers and employees from withholding or delaying budget authority 
unless authorized under the statute.
    The Government Accountability Office has maintained that changes to 
spending priorities should be addressed through the legislative process 
between Congress and the Administration rather than through unilateral 
withholding of appropriated funds.
    By failing to execute appropriations according to congressional 
directives and instead implementing policies that expanded executive 
control over Federal spending, Russell Thurlow Vought violated his 
obligation to faithfully execute the law.
    Wherefore, Russell Thurlow Vought warrants impeachment and trial, 
and removal from office.
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