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Kuwait Times
13 hours ago
- Business
- Kuwait Times
In victory for Trump, US Senate passes aid, broadcasting cuts
$9 billion in cuts passes by narrowest possible margin WASHINGTON: The US Senate early on Thursday approved President Donald Trump's plan for billions of dollars in cuts to funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting, handing the Republican president another victory as he exerts control over Congress with little opposition. The Senate voted 51 to 48 in favor of Trump's request to cut $9 billion in spending already approved by Congress. Most of the cuts are to programs to assist foreign countries suffering from disease, war and natural disasters, but the plan also eliminates all $1.1 billion the Corporation for Public Broadcasting was due to receive over the next two years. Trump and many of his fellow Republicans argue that spending on public broadcasting is an unnecessary expense and reject its news coverage as suffering from anti-right bias. Standalone rescissions packages have not passed in decades, with lawmakers reluctant to cede their constitutionally mandated control of spending. But Trump's Republicans, who hold narrow majorities in the Senate and House, have shown little appetite for resisting his policies since he began his second term in January. The $9 billion at stake is extremely small in the context of the $6.8 trillion federal budget, and represents only a tiny portion of all the funds approved by Congress that the Trump administration has held up while it has pursued sweeping cuts, many ordered by billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. As of mid-June, Trump was blocking $425 billion in funding that had already been appropriated and previously approved by Congress, according to Democratic lawmakers tracking frozen funding. However, Trump and his supporters have promised more of the 'rescission' requests to eliminate previously approved spending in what they say is an effort to pare back the federal government. The House of Representatives passed the rescissions legislation without altering Trump's request by 214-212 last month. Four Republicans joined 208 Democrats in voting no. But after a handful of Republican senators balked at the extent of the cuts to global health programs, Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, said on Tuesday that PEPFAR, a global program to fight HIV/AIDS launched in 2003 by then-President George W. Bush, was being exempted. The change brought the size of the package of cuts to $9 billion from $9.4 billion, requiring another House vote before the measure can be sent to the White House for Trump to sign into law. The rescissions must pass by Friday. Otherwise, the request would expire and the White House will be required to adhere to spending plans passed by Congress. Republican 'no' votes Two of the Senate's 53 Republicans - Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine - joined Democrats in voting against the legislation. 'You don't need to gut the entire Corporation for Public Broadcasting,' Murkowski said in a Senate speech. She said the Trump administration also had not provided assurances that battles against diseases such as malaria and polio worldwide would be maintained. Most of all, Murkowski said, Congress must assert its role in deciding how federal funds were spent. Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota called Trump's request a 'small, but important step toward fiscal sanity.' Democrats scoffed at that, noting that congressional Republicans earlier this month passed a massive package of tax and spending cuts that nonpartisan analysts estimated would add more than $3 trillion to the nation's $36.2 trillion debt. Democrats charged Republicans with giving up Congress' Constitutionally-mandated control of federal spending. 'Today, Senate Republicans turn this chamber into a subservient rubber stamp for the executive, at the behest of Donald Trump,' Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said. 'Republicans embrace the credo of cut, cut, cut now, and ask questions later,' Schumer said. The cuts would overturn bipartisan spending agreements most recently passed in a full-year stopgap funding bill in March. Democrats warn a partisan cut now could make it more difficult to negotiate government funding bills that must pass with bipartisan agreement by September 30 to avoid a shutdown. Appropriations bills require 60 votes to move ahead in the Senate, but the rescissions package needs just 51, meaning Republicans can pass it without Democratic support.— Reuters
Vox
a day ago
- Politics
- Vox
Trump's attack on NPR and PBS, briefly explained
This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here. Welcome to The Logoff: The House passed a bill clawing back billions in federal funding for foreign aid and public media early Friday morning, sending it to President Donald Trump's desk for a signature. What does the bill do? The bill, called a rescissions package, targeted about $9 billion in total funding and originates from a White House request to withdraw funding that had already been allocated. The vast majority of that money comes from foreign aid programs. The remainder, some $1.1 billion, was money for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which funds PBS, NPR, and their affiliate stations. What does this mean for foreign aid? The rescissions request impacts $7.9 billion in foreign aid spending, including money for migration and refugee assistance, international peacekeeping, development assistance, and disaster relief. One foreign aid program, PEPFAR, escaped. A $400 million cut to the enormously effective HIV/AIDS prevention program, which has saved millions of lives in its 20-plus years of existence, was removed from the rescissions package after pushback by Senate Republicans. What about public media? National Public Radio receives only a small portion of its funding from CPB, but the cuts stand to impact local affiliate stations and PBS more substantially. CPB warned in a statement that the bill's passage will mean 'many local public radio and television stations will be forced to shut down,' and noted it could also impact access to emergency alerts. The Logoff The email you need to stay informed about Trump — without letting the news take over your life. Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Why does this matter? This was a relatively small amount of money in the context of the federal budget, but the lost funding will have real impacts. The bill also reflects an ongoing effort by Trump to seize the power of the purse from Congress. As Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, one of two Republican senators to oppose the measure, put it, '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.'' And with that, it's time to log off…
Time Magazine
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time Magazine
U.S. Rolls Back $9 Billion for Foreign Aid, Broadcasters
PBS and NPR executives have criticized a bill the Republican-controlled House passed 216-213 early Friday that cancels federal funding for the public broadcasters. 'These cuts will significantly impact all of our stations, but will be especially devastating to smaller stations and those serving large rural areas,' PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger said in a statement following a Senate vote on Thursday that progressed the bill. PBS says it gets 15% of its funding from the federal government, and some 70% of total government spending on public broadcasting goes to over 1,500 local television and radio stations. NPR is also expected to feel the impact of cuts. While the broadcaster receives roughly 1% of its funding from the government, 36% of its funding comes from member stations, which are partly government funded themselves. 'Nearly 3-in-4 Americans say they rely on their public radio stations for alerts and news for their public safety,' CEO Katherine Maher said in a statement. The bill cuts $1.1 billion in spending for public media and $7.9 billion in foreign aid that had already been approved. The Senate approved the bill a day earlier in a 51-48 vote after removing cuts for the PEPFAR HIV/AIDS prevention program. PEPFAR, launched by George W. Bush in 2003, is credited with saving over 25 million lives. Two Republican Senators, Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), joined Democrats in voting against the bill, as did House Republicans Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.) and Mike Turner (Ohio). President Donald Trump wrote 'This is big!' on Truth Social following the House vote. He is expected to sign the bill into law around 2:30 p.m. local time. The Lancet medical journal published a report in June that said ongoing cuts to foreign aid 'could result in more than 14 million additional deaths by 2030, including 4.5 million deaths among children younger than 5 years.' The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) officially closed earlier this month, after more than 80% of its programs were cut.
NBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- NBC News
Trump denies letter to Epstein and Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' to end: Morning Rundown
A $9 billion rescissions package could jeopardize the future of hundreds of local NPR and PBS stations. Pam Bondi said she'll request the release of "grand jury transcripts" in the Jeffrey Epstein case. And how patients are using AI to challenge insurance claim denials. Here's what to know today. Congress sends $9 billion spending cuts to Trump's desk President Donald Trump is expected to sign a bill cutting $9 billion in spending that Congress had already approved after the Republican-led House voted overnight to pass the package. The House voted 216-213 in favor of the package, with just two GOP representatives — Mike Turner of Ohio and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania — joining Democrats to oppose the measure. The package cuts $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides funding cuts to NPR and PBS. Now, hundreds of member stations will face millions in budget cuts, and media advocates warn the cuts would have an especially harmful impact on rural Americans, who may rely more heavily on the outlets for local news. Some stations are already downsizing in anticipation of the funding. Read more about how the funding cuts could affect public media. This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day. Sign up here to get it in your inbox. The package cuts $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides funding to NPR and PBS. Now, hundreds of member stations will face millions in budget cuts, and media advocates warn these will have an especially harmful impact on rural Americans, who may rely more heavily on the outlets for local news. Some stations are already downsizing in anticipation. Read more about how the funding cuts could affect public media. The package also cuts $8 billion from foreign aid, including the U.S. Agency for International Development and programs to promote global health and refugee assistance. However, $400 million in cuts to PEPFAR, the popular global HIV/AIDS program that then-President George W. Bush started in 2003, were pulled from the final package after a handful of Republicans joined Democrats' in opposing the cuts in the Senate. Seeking to tamp down the GOP rebellion, the White House agreed to drop the PEPFAR cuts. Read more about the program credited with saving millions of lives. The final $9 billion package, which Trump requested, passed both chambers of Congress with only Republican votes through a rarely used 'rescissions' process that can bypass the 60-vote threshold in the Senate. Democrats condemned the cuts as cruel and an attempt by Republicans to appear fiscally responsible after the GOP voted to add $3.3 trillion to the debt in Trump's massive domestic policy bill. Democrats walked out of a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting to advance the nomination of Emil Bove, a senior Justice Department official and Trump's personal lawyer, for a federal judgeship. Nearly 79 million Medicaid enrollees' personal information will be shared with federal immigration authorities as the Trump administration seeks to ramp up deportations. The Trump administration officially terminated the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline's specialized service for LGBTQ youth. A day after she was fired as U.S. attorney, Maurene Comey wrote a memo urging her colleagues to fight back against 'abuses of power.' Trump denies letter to Epstein and orders Bondi to seek release of records A new article from the Wall Street Journal has alleged that Trump wrote a letter to Jeffrey Epstein for his birthday more than two decades ago. It reportedly included an outline of a naked woman and a 'Donald' signature. Trump denied the report. 'I never wrote a picture in my life,' he told the newspaper. 'I don't draw pictures of women.' Trump later confirmed his plans to seek legal action against the newspaper; its parent company, News Corp.; and Rupert Murdoch, the organization's head. Trump said yesterday in a social media post that he has directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to release 'pertinent testimony' tied to the Jeffrey Epstein case amid pressure from his supporters and some Republicans for more transparency about the case. Bondi responded on X that the Justice Department would request that the court 'unseal the grand jury transcripts' on Friday. Trump's decision comes amid a rare splintering of his base over the Justice Department's decision earlier this month not to disclose new information related to the investigation into Epstein, the financier whose 2019 death in a New York jail has spurred conspiracy theories. Also yesterday, the White House said that Trump would not appoint a special counsel to review the case, as some allies had advocated for. Cost of Obamacare expected to soar in 2026 Insurers that offer health care plans through the Affordable Care Act are planning a 15% increase in 2026, the largest in seven years, according to a new analysis from health policy research group KFF. That means a family of three earning $110,000 a year enrolled in a silver ACA plan could potentially see their monthly cost jump from $779 to $1,662 in 2026, according to KFF. The finalized plans, including how much more people will be expected to pay each month, are usually published around August. The premium increase will likely come on top of the loss of enhanced subsidies, which helped people pay for ACA health plans by capping the costs at a certain proportion of their income. The subsidies, enacted during the Biden administration and extended through 2025, were not extended in the domestic policy bill Trump signed into law earlier this month. The president's bill also added more hurdles for people who get their health insurance through the ACA. 'This is not a repeal [of the ACA], but it's certainly an attempt to move in that direction,' one expert said. Read the full story here. Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' will come to an end CBS is closing the curtain on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' next May, the network announced, putting an end to the show Colbert has hosted since 2015 — and the franchise itself. CBS executives said in a joint statement yesterday that the move 'is a purely financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night' and not related to the show's content or 'other matters happening at Paramount.' CBS's parent company, Paramount, is in the midst of an $8 billion merger with Hollywood studio Skydance. Earlier this month, Paramount agreed in principle to settle a lawsuit brought by Trump over a '60 Minutes' interview with Kamala Harris, by paying $16 million to Trump's future presidential library. Colbert had recently criticized the settlement, calling it 'a big fat bribe.' Read the full story here. Read All About It Trump is pushing for Coca-Cola to sweeten its products with cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup. But is cane sugar actually healthier? Experts explain the negative impacts of both ingredients. The White House said Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency after he was examined for 'mild swelling' in his legs. Here's what to know about the non-life-threatening condition. Juul can continue to sell its e-cigarettes and refill cartridges, though the FDA's authorization does not mean the products are safe or 'FDA approved.' A 22-year-old could face up to life in prison after he was charged with murder in the fatal shootings of an 'American Idol' music supervisor and her husband in their Los Angeles home. A couple spotted on a kiss cam at a Coldplay concert immediately hid their faces, leading frontman Chris Martin to joke that they were having an affair. Staff Pick: AI is helping patients fight insurance companies Stephanie Nixdorf, a stage 4 cancer survivor in Davidson, North Carolina, couldn't even open a cup of yogurt because of crippling arthritis caused by her immunotherapy. Yet her health insurer, Premera Blue Cross, kept turning her down for a treatment her doctors said would help. Exasperated, she used an artificial intelligence tool to write an appeal letter filled with clinical evidence supporting the treatment — and two days later, Premera approved her for the drug. I spoke with Stephanie about her decision to turn to AI to get the treatment she needed. She's among a growing cohort of patients who are fed up with insurance company denials and are finding new ways to fight back. — Gretchen Morgenson, senior financial reporter NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified Amazon Prime Day is over, but that doesn't mean that there aren't a bunch of leftover deals worth checking out, including discounted Apple AirTags, dog treats and more. Speaking of deals, Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale runs until Aug. 3 and offers deals on apparel, footwear and more.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senate GOP nails down deals on DOGE cuts in bid to avoid tax bill tumult
Senate GOP leaders are looking to avoid a repeat of the lengthy and sometimes bewildering floor process that led to the passage of the Trump tax bill by locking down key details with holdouts before the chamber moves to a vote-a-rama Wednesday on a bill to claw back funding. A number of rank-and-file members indicated in recent days that they hoped leadership would do everything possible to sidestep the tumult that engulfed the conference days before July 4 and limit the side deals that were being worked out at the last minute. All indications Tuesday were that leaders were attempting to do just that. They resolved two key issues — protecting the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program and some rural broadcasters — a day before a key vote-a-rama is set to happen. Congress has until Friday to send the bill, known as a rescissions package, to President Trump's desk. It contains a request to claw back $9 billion in already appropriated funds for foreign aid and public broadcasting. 'Thune's been really transparent on all of this,' Sen. Shelley Moore Capito ( said, pointing to the pre-vote-a-rama effort and push to limit potential side deals. The White House and Senate GOP members made massive strides Tuesday toward a potential final green light to pass the bill. Early in the day, Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) announced he was on board with the package after striking a deal to ensure radio stations in tribal communities continue to receive funding. He had been concerned about the effect cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting — which helps fund NPR and PBS — would have on Native American areas that rely on those stations. Rounds told reporters that the administration is reallocating Biden-era 'Green New Deal money' to fund those broadcasters, unlocking his vote in the process. 'I think it was caught in the crossfire,' Rounds said about the provision. 'They understood my concern. They recognized this is not something people necessarily wanted to cut out. These were not part of the targeted groups that a lot of folks have problems with, and they provide a real service in rural areas.' The bigger news came hours later, when negotiators announced that planned PEPFAR cuts were out of the bill entirely, potentially unlocking the support of multiple moderates who had fretted about their inclusion, including Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). Neither moderate has said how they will vote. The move also strips $400 million from the bill, bringing the rescissions total down from $9.4 billion to $9 billion. 'White House is supportive. Everybody's on the same page,' Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), the lead sponsor of the bill, told reporters. The news emerged after Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought appeared at the weekly Senate GOP luncheon to discuss the package, which statutorily must be completed by Friday. 'It's substantially the same package, and the Senate has to work its will and we've appreciated the work along the way to get to a place where they've got the votes,' Vought said after lunch. 'There is a substitute amendment that does not include the PEPFAR rescission and we're fine with that.' Murkowski and Collins were the foremost opponents of the cuts to PEPFAR, which was launched by former President George W. Bush more than two decades ago. Collins had already shown her potential independence by voting against the Trump tax bill last week, while Murkowski demanded a number of last-minute deals to secure her vote. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters after lunch that there was 'a lot of interest' in making PEPFAR changes, labeling it a 'small modification.' He also believes the change will not cause issues across the Capitol — because the Senate is making changes to the bill, it must return to the House before heading to Trump's desk. 'I wouldn't say anything's prebaked,' Thune said when asked if the topic was run by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). 'Obviously, it's something we've been working closely with the administration on, and my assumption is that the level of coordination that we've had … that they [the House] would take [it] up.' Rank-and-file Senate GOP members still hope leaders limit further changes by the time it hits the lower chamber. 'It would be nice if we didn't have to inflict so much pain on ourselves,' Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) told The Hill. 'How bad can it be?' 'Some people want to refine the rescissions a bit. They want more detail,' he continued. 'I'm with it as it is. … It's just time to rein some of that back in.' Nevertheless, some members are seeking further changes via the amendment process. 'Sure, in an ideal world. But this is legislating,' Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said about the prospect of cutting out side deals. Hawley noted plans to file an amendment that would add $5 billion more in cuts to the package in a bid to slash a 'Green New Deal loan' that would affect his state, though he said he wasn't even sure it complies with the rules of the pending vote-a-rama. 'I'd like to make it bigger,' he added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
