Senate set for final vote on $9B DOGE cuts with necessary votes
July 16 (UPI) -- The U.S. Senate has the votes to pass a bill that would codify congressionally approved appropriations cuts made by the Department of Government Efficiency. The bill would cut $9 billion in spending.
Two Republican senators fought back on sticking points of AIDS funding and tribal-area public radio stations. The GOP resolved the issues to gain the votes.
Three GOP senators voted against the bill: Susan Collins, R-Maine; Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska; and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
The final number for both earlier votes was 51-50, with Vice President J.D. Vance casting the tie-breaking votes. The Senate will gather this morning to vote on amendments, then will have a final vote this afternoon. The bill will still have to pass the House of Representatives then move to President Donald Trump for final approval.
The bill had originally planned to cut $9.4 million in spending, but Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., worked out a deal to redirect Interior Department funds to help about 28 radio stations in 14 states that broadcast to tribal lands. The stations are at risk because of $1.1 billion in cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. They provide vital emergency warnings to those areas.
Several other GOP senators held out on the $400 million cut that they believed would hurt the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, created by President George W. Bush. A rescission package was created by Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, to stop cuts to the PEPFAR program.
Murkowski said the rescissions package sets a precedent that undermines the authority of Congress.
"We're lawmakers. We should be legislating. What we're getting now is a direction from the White House and being told, 'This is the priority. We want you to execute on it. We'll be back with you with another round,'" she said. "I don't accept that. I'm going to be voting no."
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., called the bill a "down payment" on reducing the size of the federal government.
"What we're talking about here is one-tenth of 1% of all federal spending," he told reporters.
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