2. Executive Office of the President · Minor
Restore apportionment sign-off to OMB's Program Associate Directors
Printed page 45 2. Executive Office of the President
“No Director should be chosen who is unwilling to restore apportionment decision-making to the PADs' personal review, who is not aggressive in wielding the tool on behalf of the President's agenda, or who is unable to defend the power against attacks from Congress.”
What has happened
- Done
OMB restored apportionment sign-off to the Program Associate Directors. Director Russell Vought signed a delegation, effective 11 February 2025 and published in the Federal Register on 18 February, that reads: "I hereby delegate to the Program Associate Directors the authorities delegated by the President to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget for apportioning funds pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 1513(b)." It supersedes any previous delegation and leaves the PADs free to re-delegate in writing. That is the ask on its face — the tool is back in the PADs' hands rather than being run from a central apportionment shop. A second notice on 23 April 2025 published a standby delegation for a continuity event.
Research log
What was searched, and what didn’t count as evidence
Research notes
The delegation notice is short and explicit; we read the full text at govinfo (FR-2025-02-18, doc 2025-02720). The Quote’s other two clauses — that the Director be “aggressive in wielding the tool” and “able to defend the power against attacks from Congress” — describe a disposition rather than a checkable act, and the impoundment fights of 2025-26 are tracked elsewhere; this Recommendation is leveled on the named object, apportionment decision-making by the PADs.
A second OMB notice, Delegation of Apportionment Authority Pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 1513(b) (23 April 2025), publishes a standby delegation for a continuity event. It does not change the Status.
- Action
- restore
- Object
- Apportionment decision-making by OMB Program Associate Directors
- ID
- 33