President Trump has notified Congress that he’ll exert “supervision” over a new special inspector general that Democrats demanded to monitor the administration’s emergency lending to distressed corporations in the $2 trillion coronavirus package.
Shortly after Mr. Trump signed the rescue plan on Friday, the president issued a statement warning Congress that the new law “includes several provisions that raise constitutional concerns.”
For example, the president took issue with a provision inserted by Democrats requiring the still-to-be nominated inspector general to report to Congress “without delay” whenever the administration refuses to provide information to the watchdog.
“I do not understand, and my administration will not treat, this provision as permitting the [inspector general] to issue reports to the Congress without the presidential supervision required by the Take Care Clause, Article II, section 3,” Mr. Trump said.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi criticized the president’s move but said it was “no surprise.”
“Congress will exercise its oversight,” Mrs. Pelosi said on MSNBC. “And we will have our panel appointed by the House to, in real time, to make sure we know where those funds are going to be expended.”
The administration created the $500 billion fund to provide loans to companies, states and localities reeling from the impact of the pandemic. Mr. Trump said he supports aid for airlines, cruise ship companies and probably hotels, in addition to others.
Democrats only agreed to the overall package after the administration agreed to create the new inspector general’s office to provide oversight measures over the $500 billion fund.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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