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E&E News
5 hours ago
- Politics
- E&E News
Lawmakers aim to slash climate funds in two spending bills
House Republican appropriators Wednesday proposed deep cuts in many agriculture programs, eliminating the long-standing 'climate hubs' at the Agriculture Department and targeting resilience for natural disasters in military and veterans funding. Annual spending legislation for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 would set discretionary spending at USDA and related agencies at $25.5 billion, which Republican appropriators said would reflect a 4.4 percent decline from this year's level. While the proposal would hit certain areas especially hard — such as the climate hubs, conservation and urban agriculture — it would increase spending at the Agricultural Research Service and maintain funding to fight animal and plant pests and diseases at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Advertisement The Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture is scheduled to mark up the bill Thursday. Chair Andy Harris (R-Md.) said in a news release that the measure 'reflects a clear, conservative commitment to fiscal responsibility while ensuring that America's farmers, ranchers, and rural communities remain a top priority.'
Fox News
2 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
SCOOP: House Freedom Caucus draws battle lines as White House readies $9.4B DOGE spending cuts
FIRST ON FOX: The House Freedom Caucus is demanding the House of Representatives vote on the White House's impending $9.4 billion federal spending cut proposal the same week it lands on Capitol Hill. The conservative group, led by Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., is drawing its line in the sand on Monday with an official position on the coming package, which is expected to call for clawing back government funding for NPR, PBS, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). "When the White House submits its first rescissions package to enact [Department of Government Efficiency] spending cuts to Congress, the House of Representatives should immediately move this to the floor for swift passage," the Freedom Caucus position said. "The House Freedom Caucus strongly supports these critical rescissions, and we will support as many more rescissions packages the White House can send us in the coming weeks and months. These first DOGE cuts target taxpayer-funded public broadcasters notorious for their liberal bias like NPR and PBS, as well as billions in wasteful foreign aid dollars." It comes as Elon Musk's time leading President Donald Trump's DOGE effort comes to an end, with the tech billionaire shifting his focus back to Tesla and his other private ventures after his billions of dollars in proposed spending cuts drove a partisan wedge through Congress. "Passing this rescissions package will be an important demonstration of Congress's willingness to deliver on DOGE and the Trump agenda," the statement continued. "While the Swamp will inevitably attempt to slow and kill these cuts, there is no excuse for a Republican House not to advance the first DOGE rescissions package the same week it is presented to Congress then quickly send it for passage in the Republican Senate, so President Trump can sign it into law." The White House is expected to send its $9.4 billion spending cuts package to Congress on Tuesday. The proposal is called a "rescissions package," a vehicle for the president to block funds that were already allocated by Congress in its yearly appropriations process. Once transmitted to Capitol Hill, lawmakers have 45 days to take it up before it's voided. And GOP officials have made clear that it's the first of several such proposals that could come from the White House. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told Fox News Channel last week that there will "100%" be further rescissions packages coming from the White House. Bringing the first package to a House-wide vote within a week would require quick political maneuvering. Under House GOP conference rules, lawmakers must get 72 hours to read a bill before the chamber weighs in – a provision that conservatives also fought for – putting a possible vote on Friday at the earliest and possible into the weekend. But the House Freedom Caucus is not the only GOP group pushing for a swift vote – Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger, R-Texas, said on Friday, "This brings fairness and accountability back to taxpayers who are sick of funding government waste while making progress towards our crushing $36 trillion national debt. Congress must promptly cement these cuts in law through rescissions and the FY26 appropriations bills." It comes just over a week after House Republicans pushed through Trump's multi-trillion-dollar tax and immigration bill via the budget reconciliation process. That bill is now being considered by the Senate, and will have to go back to the House if the upper chamber makes any changes. Republican leaders are hoping to have that bill on Trump's desk by Fourth of July. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., noted both deadlines in an appearance on NBC News' "Meet The Press" on Sunday. "We're going to have a second budget reconciliation bill that follows after this, and we're beginning next week the appropriations process, which is the spending bills for government. And you're going to see a lot of the DOGE cuts and a lot of this new fiscal restraint reflected in what Congress does next. So stay tuned, this is not the end-all, be-all," he said of the reconciliation bill. Johnson said on X Friday that "Congress is working with the White House to codify DOGE savings to stop government misuse and misspending of our tax dollars."
Fox News
6 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
Price tag estimate for House GOP tax package rises to $3.94T
Print Close By Alex Nitzberg Published May 29, 2025 The estimated revenue impact of the GOP tax plan would be nearly $4 trillion in the negative over a decade, the Joint Committee on Taxation — a nonpartisan committee of the U.S. Congress — has indicated. A document issued by the committee puts the net total estimated revenue effects at -$3.939368 trillion for fiscal years 2025-2034. "The problem with all of these studies is they willfully ignore current tax policy. You can't do that and be taken seriously," an Office of Management and Budget spokesperson indicated. Fox News Digital reached out to the Joint Committee on Taxation for comment, but no comment had been provided by the time of publication. GOP RAILS AGAINST 'BLATANTLY FALSE' DEM CLAIMS ABOUT MEDICAID REFORM IN TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' The GOP-controlled House of Representatives passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last week, even with the U.S. national debt at more than $36 trillion. The measure cleared the chamber with zero Democrat votes, and two House Republicans — Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Warren Davidson of Ohio — voting against it. House Freedom Caucus Chair Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., voted present, explaining in a statement, "I voted to move the bill along in the process for the President. There is still a lot of work to be done in deficit reduction and ending waste, fraud, and abuse in the Medicaid program." SPEAKER JOHNSON CLASHES WITH RAND PAUL OVER 'WIMPY' SPENDING CUTS IN TRUMP'S BILL Some Senate Republicans have indicated that they would not be willing to support the measure as it stands coming out of the House. Elon Musk is not happy with it either. The business tycoon said during an interview for "CBS Sunday Morning" that he was "disappointed to see the massive spending bill," and that the measure undermines the Department of Government Efficiency team's work. "I'm not happy about certain aspects of it, but I'm thrilled by other aspects of it," President Donald Trump said of the measure when asked about Musk's comments. Last week, Trump hailed the House's passage of the proposal, calling for the Senate to pass it as well. "Great job by Speaker Mike Johnson, and the House Leadership, and thank you to every Republican who voted YES on this Historic Bill! Now, it's time for our friends in the United States Senate to get to work, and send this Bill to my desk AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!" the president declared in part of a Truth Social post last week. MUSK OFFICIALLY STEPS DOWN FROM DOGE AFTER WRAPPING WORK STREAMLINING GOVERNMENT CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller asserted in a post on X, "I see some self-described libertarians siding with lefty bureaucrats at CBO who claim the Big Beautiful Bill will 'explode the debt.' This is based entirely on CBO claiming that extending the current tax rates (not raising them) will 'cost' the government $4 trillion in revenue. "Since when have libertarians argued that NOT raising taxes 'costs' the government money? Private money yet to be earned does not "belong" to the government. This is a Democrat-collectivist argument and I'm shocked to see libertarians deploying it. Under this ludicrous theory, one could raise taxes to 90% on everyone and declare the deficit solved. BBB cuts taxes, cuts spending, reforms welfare and *ends mass migration*," he declared. Print Close URL
Fox News
27-05-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Winners, losers and grab-bags from House GOP's narrow passage of 'big, beautiful bill'
With the narrow 215-214 passage of House Republicans' "Big, Beautiful Bill," (BBB) there were noted winners and losers, and some entities who felt mixed results from the midnight-oil-burning negotiations and vote. The House Freedom Caucus (HFC) within the GOP conference appeared to be a key player in BBB talks, as Chairman Andy Harris of Maryland voted "present," while two other HFC members, Reps. Warren Davidson of Ohio and Thomas Massie of Kentucky, voted "nay." The HFC was initially very concerned about the bill's spending levels and how quickly — or not — some of the reduction measures would be implemented. Ultimately, the HFC won out in terms of shifting Medicaid Work Requirements in the bill to take effect by 2027 rather than the originally proposed 2029 deadline. On the other GOP flank, moderates and lawmakers from blue states had expressed concern over the State and Local Tax Deduction (SALT) — which helps Democrat-run state residents lessen their tax burden. Originally, SALT was capped at $10,000, but the budget bill raised it to $30,000 for individuals earning up to $400,000. Rep. Michael Lawler, R-N.Y., and other blue-state Republicans clashed with President Donald Trump on the matter — with the president retorting that he knew Lawler's Rockland County district better than he did. Lawler was seen as a winner in the budget bill's passage, as his work — along with that of Long Island Republicans like Rep. Nick LaLota — secured the deduction for their constituents. Another blue-state Republican, Rep. Andrew Garbarino of New York, was one of two nonvoting members — the other being Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz., according to the official roll. Residents of such high-tax states as New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Maryland and California won out in that respect, ensuring that they would be able to continue to utilize SALT. Outright winners from the bill were Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who saw some version of their original effort come to pass. Trump also saw his sweeping middle- and upper-class tax cuts preserved from expiration, which in turn rendered debt-and-deficit hawks proverbial losers. Passage of the bill in the House comes as the national debt currently sits at $36,214,475,432,210.84, according to FOX Business' National Debt Tracker. The federal deficit will grow by about $2 trillion over 10 years, according to reports, while the tax cuts' preservation will reduce gross federal revenue. But Medicaid and SNAP work requirements funding cuts are expected to lessen that blow. Other winners included illegal immigration hawks, with the bill allocating billions for the Pentagon and for homeland security, including at the U.S.-Mexico border. Energy interests also won out in the bill's passage. The American Petroleum Institute applauded the House for taking another step to "restore American energy dominance." "By preserving competitive tax policies, beginning to reverse the 'methane fee,' opening lease sales and advancing important progress on permitting, this historic legislation is a win for our nation's energy future," the group said in a statement. Losers included Democratic leadership, as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., saw his caucus vote as a bloc, but just shy of the partisan force necessary to block the bill. One particularly upset "loser" in the bill's passage was House Homeland Security Committee ranking member Bennie Thompson of Mississippi. "You can't shovel s--- and call it sugar," Thompson fumed in a Thursday statement. "This horrific bill is one of the most shameful grifts I have ever seen played on the American public," he added. Abortion providers also lost out via the bill, as it reportedly bans Medicaid disbursements to Planned Parenthood for one year, which could lead to decreased revenue for such organizations. Opponents of SALT, including members of the HFC, also essentially lost out, given the fact the deduction remained intact and was somewhat bolstered. The bill's slashing of green energy tax credits also renders that particular corporate sector — including wind, solar and EV concerns — another potential loser in the BBB.
Fox News
23-05-2025
- Business
- Fox News
By Dawn's Early Light: Battles Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' will face in the Senate
"This is one big ugly bill that House Republicans are trying to jam down the throats of the American people under the cover of darkness," argued House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. at 6:09 a.m. Thursday morning on the House floor. Nothing could be further from the truth. The sun was rising. "Why are we here at 3 a.m., fast-tracking this bill?" asked Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., during House debate on the measure at 3:15 a.m. ET Thursday. The House debated the package well past the witching hour Thursday, but lawmakers approved the bill just before the break of dawn. House Republicans squeezed out a victory, 215-214 with Freedom Caucus Chairman Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., voting present. There haven't been many all-night sessions in Congress lately. Especially when moving a piece of legislation of his magnitude during off-hours - coated with high drama and towering political stakes. But it's not surprising that the House had to burn the midnight oil – on three different occasions – just to finish the package in recent days. That's typical for massive legislation with exponential consequences. It doesn't matter what party or what the issue is. COVID-19 money. Obamacare. The infrastructure law. The Inflation Reduction Act. You name it. Congress works around the clock when they're on the precipice of doing something big. Whether it's good is another question. The week started with a Sunday night meeting of the House Budget Committee at 10:26 p.m. The House Rules Committee did the Budget Committee one better, meeting at 1 a.m. Wednesday. That session ran nearly 22 hours, ending late Wednesday night. The House then began floor action on the bill in the early hours of Thursday. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., gaveled the vote closed on the bill just before 7 a.m. Talking about Congress is usually enough to put people to sleep, but with hours like these, if you snooze, you lose. Rip Van Winkle, er, Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., accidentally caught a few zzz's early Thursday at precisely the wrong time. Johnson said Garbarino "fell asleep in the back" of the House chamber during the vote on the "big, beautiful bill." Garbarino and other Empire State Republicans lost sleep for weeks as they fought for a deal on SALT. They wanted a higher deduction for state and local taxes in exchange for their support of the bill. A sleeper issue, this wasn't. A new pact was paramount to passing the bill. Still, Garbarino was less than satisfied with the compromise. Perhaps it gets changed in the Senate. Garbarino can only dream. If you heard a creaky noise on the north side of the U.S. Capitol Thursday, that was the Senate awakening from its legislative slumber. The Senate has focused for most of President Donald Trump's term on confirming his cabinet. Legislation hasn't dominated Senate floor traffic this year, but that will change soon. "Our team is suiting up for discussions with the Senate side of Capitol Hill," said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. But divisions are already emerging. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., abhors the House package. "I have already said that in its current state it's completely unacceptable to me," said Johnson. "I would vote no." President Trump wants the Senate to finish the measure and deposit it on his desk by July 4, but the Wisconsin Republican quibbled with Mr. Trump's timetable and demand for this version of the bill. "I couldn't care less if he's upset," said Johnson. Other Republican senators were willing to grant some deference to President Trump. But only to a point. "He's the leader of the band and he's a heck of a good leader," said Sen. Jim Justice, "But with all that said, I would tell you we don't want to get in a hurry just to meet a deadline date and everything. We want to get it right." Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., thought that July 4 was an "optimistic" deadline. "Look at how long it's taken the House to get to this point," said Tillis. "There's still a lot of decisions to be made. So I think we're talking about weeks or months." And the Senate will inevitably change the measure. "The Senate's going to want to put its own stamp on this. We'll write our own version of the bill," said Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo. Senators are already making their demands. "I'm not voting to raise the debt ceiling $5 trillion, because that's not fiscally responsible and that's not conservative," said Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. Trimming deficits worried other senators. "Don't get high on our horse here that we've somehow made some major advancement of reducing spending because we didn't," said Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. What winds up in the bill hinges on a solitary factor. "We've got to get to 51 votes," said Tillis. Senate Democrats are also thinking about the number 51, but in the context of 2026. Democrats believe this bill might help them get 51 Senate seats in the midterms. "Based on what the House has passed our, chances of taking back the Senate have just increased," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. House Democrats believe the early morning roll call vote in House will be the seminal ballot cast in this session of Congress. "This day may very well turn out to be the day that House Republicans lost control of the United States House of Representatives," said Jeffries. That's not a newsflash. Both parties customarily focus on a handful of votes each body takes over the course of a two-year Congress. They deploy the results of those votes against their opponents. Take a look at the tiny script on the lower portion of the TV screen when ads for the midterms begin running in September and October next year. You can bet Democrats will document the vote which closed at dawn Thursday. Moreover, Republicans are stashing all of their political eggs in one basket. The bulk of President Trump's agenda is tucked into this singular measure – for better or worse. Lawmakers must fund the government later this year. And next year, too. But after that, it's unclear if Republicans have any other legislation which would compete with the breadth of this bill. Jeffries alleged that Republicans tried to advance the bill "under the cover of darkness." That isn't accurate. Democrats - and Republicans – will work to make sure voters know all about this bill. The political consequences of this legislation are too significant. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And voters will decide just how "beautiful" this big bill is.
