House passes Trump’s $9.4 billion cuts to foreign aid, PBS and NPR
The House of Representatives recently approved President Donald Trump’s $9.4 billion plan to cut back federal funds for foreign aid, as well as for PBS and NPR. The vote was largely split along party lines, with no Democrats supporting the bill. Trump’s allies saw this as a trial run to gauge whether Republican lawmakers would be willing to make cuts that were considered easy targets within the GOP.
The proposed cuts include a rollback of $8.3 billion in funding for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and over $1 billion in reductions for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which supports NPR and PBS. Republican leaders argued that a significant portion of the USAID funds were going towards programs they deemed as unnecessary, such as $1 million for voter ID in Haiti and $3 million for an Iraqi version of Sesame Street.
Critics of NPR and PBS have long accused the networks of being biased towards liberal viewpoints, rather than providing unbiased reporting. However, some moderate Republicans expressed concerns about the impact of the bill on vital disease prevention research in Africa.
Despite these concerns, the legislation was passed and will now be reviewed by the Senate. The $9.4 billion proposal is known as a rescissions package, giving the White House the ability to reject funds approved by Congress. Lawmakers have 45 days to approve the proposal, otherwise, it will be considered rejected.
If passed, Republican leaders hope that this bill will be the first in a series of rescissions packages aimed at cutting government spending. The Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, has identified areas where spending cuts can be made.
The approval process for such measures only requires a simple majority in both the House and Senate. However, with Republicans holding slim majorities in both chambers, passing the bill may prove to be a challenge.
This development marks a significant step towards reducing federal spending in key areas, as outlined by the Trump administration. The bill’s passage in the House signals a potential shift towards more stringent budgeting practices within the government.
Elizabeth Elkind, a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, covers the latest news from the House of Representatives. You can follow her on Twitter at @liz_elkind and reach out with story tips at elizabeth.elkind@fox.com.
