WASHINGTON, April 29 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has withheld at least $436.87 billion in congressionally approved funds so far, according to top Democrats on Congress’ appropriations committees.

This freeze affects agencies across the federal government. It’s the first estimate of these potential impoundments, part of an effort led by Senator Patty Murray of Washington and Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut.

According to the estimate, nearly $42 billion allocated to the State Department—including support for USAID—has either been frozen or canceled. The Transportation Department has also seen over $62 billion in competitive grant funding halted.

Democrats also reported $943 million frozen from the Head Start early education program and more than $10 billion in withheld or rescinded funding for the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

“Just 100 days into office, President Trump and Elon Musk are continuing their unprecedented assault on our nation’s spending laws, and it is families, small businesses, and communities in every part of the country who are paying the price,” said Murray and DeLauro in a statement.

“No American president has ever so flagrantly ignored our nation’s spending laws or so brazenly denied the American people investments they are owed.”

The White House and Elon Musk did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The findings will be shared publicly in a tracker that outlines the minimum amounts the committees say the administration is freezing or attempting to block through the courts, a committee aide said.

The administration has pointed to Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency and the dismantling of federal diversity, equity, and inclusion programs as reasons for halting these funds.

Lawmakers argue that the administration’s refusal to spend approved funds challenges the U.S. Constitution, which grants Congress the power to control federal spending.

Trump rejected this principle during his campaign, and Russ Vought, current head of the Office of Management and Budget, holds the same position. The U.S. Supreme Court has twice reaffirmed that presidents cannot unilaterally cut funding.

The 1974 Impoundment Control Act created a legal path for the executive branch to propose spending cuts, called rescissions, which require only a simple majority in Congress for approval.

As of Monday, the administration has not submitted any rescission proposals, despite repeated calls from many Republican lawmakers in Congress.

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