Congress may reject $130 million donation to pay soldiers' salaries

Congress may reject a $130 million donation intended to pay soldiers' salaries during the government shutdown. An anonymous donor, described by President Trump as a patriot, offered the funds specifically for this purpose. The Department of War accepted the donation under its general gift acceptance authority, with the condition it be used for service members' salaries and benefits. However, the Anti-Deficiency Act may prevent the government from accepting the donation. Experts explain that spending money without a congressional appropriation is generally prohibited, and this applies to donations for salaries. While some limited exceptions exist for donations to parks, museums, or schools, using donated funds for military pay is seen as a violation of the law. The military does have some authority to accept donations for wounded or killed service members. To overcome this legal restriction, Congress would need to recategorize troop pay as mandatory or direct spending. The government shutdown has now lasted over 23 days with no resolution in sight, as both parties engage in a messaging war.