House passes rescissions package slashing $9B in federal funding for foreign aid, NPR and PBS
The so-called rescissions bill passed 216-213, with GOP Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Mike Turner of Ohio joining all present Democrats in voting no.
The House faced a Friday deadline to pass the measure, which the White House transmitted to Congress in June in an effort to codify cuts to wasteful spending identified by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
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The Senate passed the bill early Thursday morning, with Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) joining all 46 present Democrats in opposition.
4 House Republicans approved a clawback package on Thursday, passing the so-called rescissions bill 216-213.
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4 The package will cut $9 billion in previously approved federal outlays for foreign aid, NPR and PBS.
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The latest House vote approved changes to the measure made by the Senate. It will now head to President Trump's desk for his signature.
The measure returns about $8 billion earmarked for the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and upwards of $1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which funds PBS and NPR — spending conservatives have long sought to slash.
House Republicans had passed a form of the package early last month, but the Senate struggled over it for weeks amid various concerns about some of the cuts.
Eventually, the Trump administration agreed to scrap plans to cut some $400 million from a federal program aimed at fighting AIDS worldwide.
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4 Returnees cross the border from Iran, on July 3, 2025 in Islam Qala, Afghanistan.
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An effort by Democrats in the House Rules Committee to tack on an amendment calling for the release of documents related to notorious pedophile Jeffrey Epstein was blocked by Republicans on the panel.
Republicans in the Rules Committee opted to instead move forward with a nonbinding resolution backing the 'public release of certain documents, records, and communications related to the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein.'
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), who could have exercised his powers under the rules of lower chamber to speak for as long as he could in opposition of the measure, opted to give only a 15-minute speech Thursday night.
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4 President and CEO of PBS Paula Kerger speaks during the PBS Executive Session at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Feb. 2, 2019, in Pasadena, Calif.
Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP
Earlier this month, Jeffries used his so-called 'magic minute' of debate delay passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act for almost nine hours, shattering the record previously held by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).
White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought is expected to send other rescissions requests to Congress in the coming months.
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