GOP moderates could sink Trump’s plan to cut $1B from PBS, NPR funding

House Republicans are facing a critical decision as they prepare to vote on President Donald Trump’s $9.4 billion spending cuts request. The fate of the measure could hinge on the votes of a few moderate GOP members in the House of Representatives.

The proposed spending cuts include slashing $8.3 billion in funds to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and just over $1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which distributes federal funds to NPR and PBS. While the majority of House Republicans support the measure, at least four GOP lawmakers have expressed concerns that could jeopardize its passage.

Reps. Mark Amodei, David Valadao, Nicole Malliotakis, and Don Bacon have all raised various issues with the spending cuts proposal. Amodei, co-chair of the Public Broadcasting Caucus, has voiced concerns about the impact on smaller local public broadcast outlets that rely on federal funding to keep communities informed.

Valadao, who represents a swing district in California, has not disclosed his specific concerns but has indicated uncertainty about the bill’s passage. Malliotakis has questioned the process and raised reservations about the broad cuts without clarity on which programs will be affected. Bacon, who initially had concerns about funding for PBS and NPR, has indicated some reassurance regarding critical medical research funding but has not clarified his stance on the overall bill.

The $9.4 billion rescissions package, initiated by the White House, aims to block funding that the administration disagrees with. If approved by Congress within 45 days, the funding cuts will take effect. Republican leaders hope this will be the first of several packages to reduce federal waste, as identified by the Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk.

House GOP leaders have praised the proposed spending cuts as a step towards fiscal responsibility and reducing government waste. Speaker Mike Johnson emphasized the importance of supporting the measure to restore fiscal sanity and combat fraud, waste, and abuse in government spending.

As the House prepares to vote on the $9.4 billion spending cuts proposal, the decisions of these moderate GOP members could determine the fate of the measure. With a narrow majority in the chamber, any dissent beyond a few members could thwart the bill’s passage. The outcome of the vote will be closely watched as Republicans navigate the complexities of budgetary decisions and fiscal responsibility in government spending.