Maine Independent Senator Angus King and Republican Senator Susan Collins are slamming President Trump for his move to unilaterally cancel almost $1 billion in federal funding without Congressional consent.

King says the move is in blatant defiance of the Constitution and federal law.

““This isn’t a vague legal concept they are abusing; it’s grade school-level American government,” said King in a statement. “Elected lawmakers make funding decisions to provide for the common defense and support the general welfare – that’s the beating heart of representational democracy.”

The funding Trump has declared canceled is for immigration services, support to foreign countries, education programs, health research and assistance for minority owned businesses.

King is also criticizing the Republican majority in Congress for allowing the Administration to get away with illegal actions.

“Why does he believe he can claw back a nearly billion dollars of bipartisan-approved Congressional spending? Because this Congress has enabled him by declining to stand up for itself and the rule of law.”

President Trump announced the cut on Friday.

Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins also blasted the move as illegal, saying “any effort to rescind appropriated funds without congressional approval is a clear violation of the law.” Collins chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, which overseas congressional spending.

“This move shows that OMB intentionally withheld these funds for months to execute this unlawful cancellation of appropriations that were approved on a bipartisan basis and signed into law,” Collins said in a statement. “I will work with my colleagues to address these illegal actions.”