Trump's $9B spending rollback wins approval in narrow House vote

Canada News.Net

6 days ago

WASHINGTON D.C.: In a rare use of presidential rescission powers, Congress has approved President Donald Trump's request to withdraw $9 billion in previously authorized spending, targeting public broadcasting and foreign aid. The move marks the first time in decades that such a request from a president has cleared both chambers.
The House voted 216–213 early Friday to pass the bill, following a 51–48 vote in the Senate the day before. It now heads to Trump's desk for final approval.
The cuts eliminate $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and nearly $8 billion from various foreign aid programs. While some Republicans expressed unease with the decision, most backed the measure, citing alignment with Trump's agenda and fiscal priorities.
"We need to get back to fiscal sanity and this is an important step," said House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Opponents, however, warned of the precedent the move sets. Democrats argued the bill undermines Congress' authority over federal spending and rolls back bipartisan commitments. "No one is buying the notion that Republicans are actually trying to improve wasteful spending," said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Public Broadcasting Faces Deep Cuts
The CPB, which provides funding for more than 1,500 local public radio and television stations, will see its funding wiped out for the next two fiscal years. Much of its budget supports programming on PBS and NPR, as well as critical public safety infrastructure.
Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, one of two Republicans to vote against the bill, noted the vital role of public stations in remote areas. "It is your tsunami alert, it is your landslide alert, it is your volcano alert," she said. During debate, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake off the Alaska Peninsula underscored her point, triggering tsunami warnings broadcast by public radio.
While the administration argues the system is politically biased and unnecessary, advocates say the cuts will severely impact rural and underserved communities. Kate Riley, president of America's Public Television Stations, called a proposed stopgap measure "a short-term, half-measure that will still result in cuts."
Foreign Aid Programs Slashed
The bulk of the rescinded funds target international humanitarian and development efforts. These include $800 million for refugee shelter and family reunification, $496 million for disaster relief, and $4.15 billion for programs promoting economic growth and democracy in developing countries.
Democrats criticized the move as short-sighted. "This is not an America First bill. It's a China First bill because of the void that's being created," said Jeffries.
The White House defended the cuts as a way to encourage other nations to contribute more, arguing that the rescissions serve U.S. taxpayers.
More Cuts Likely Ahead
Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought signaled that further rescissions could follow. "We're happy to go to great lengths to get this thing done," he said. "Another rescissions package is likely to come soon."