Latest news with #Scalise
AsiaOne
2 days ago
- Business
- AsiaOne
US House plans quick action on Trump cuts to foreign aid spending, Money News
WASHINGTON — Republican leaders of the US House of Representatives said on Wednesday (June 4) they would act quickly on President Donald Trump's request to slash US$9.4 billion (S$12 billion) in spending on foreign aid and public broadcasting, hoping to file a bill as soon as Thursday. "Yesterday the White House sent the rescissions package. It's the first, maybe, of many. We are now putting that in bill format. We'll file that bill, hopefully by tomorrow, and then bring it up to the floor quickly," Representative Steve Scalise, the No. 2 House Republican, told a news conference. Scalise spoke a day after Trump sent Congress his formal "rescissions" memo requesting the elimination of US$9.4 billion in spending already approved by lawmakers, opening a 45-day window for lawmakers to decide whether to back Trump in overturning spending plans many of them voted for in the past. House Speaker Mike Johnson, Scalise and other Republican House leaders issued a statement encouraging House members to support the measure, saying it would eliminate wasteful spending. Presidential rescissions packages have not passed in years, because previous Congresses have not wanted to give up their constitutionally mandated control of government spending. For example, lawmakers rejected Trump's request to revoke US$15 billion in spending in 2018, during his first term. However, the current Republican leaders of the House and Senate have shown little appetite for opposing Trump, even those who in the past have been strong advocates for foreign aid. The rescissions package can pass with a simple majority in both chambers, so it would not need Democratic votes. Codifying the cuts into law will lessen the chances that reductions in government spending, which have been led by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency this year, will face legal challenges. Trump began slashing foreign assistance programs as soon as he began his second term on Jan 20, in his drive to ensure all government spending is in line with his America First policies, eliminate waste and stamp out "diversity, equity and inclusion" efforts. Critics have said the deep cuts in funding by the United States, the world's largest single donor, mean people around the world will die of starvation and from preventable diseases, undermine American leadership, and leave a vacuum for adversaries like Russia and China to fill. Trump himself said last month his administration's cuts to the US Agency for International Development have been "devastating". The cuts include rescinding US$496 million of the US$4 billion Congress approved for international disaster assistance, US$460 million appropriated to assist former communist countries in Europe, Eurasia and Central Asia; US$400 million of US$6 billion for global health programs like fighting HIV/AIDS, and US$142 million designated for Unicef, the United Nations' children's fund. The package also includes US$1.1 billion in cuts to funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. [[nid:717709]]
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
US House plans quick action on Trump cuts to foreign aid spending
By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Republican leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives said on Wednesday they would act quickly on President Donald Trump's request to slash $9.4 billion in spending on foreign aid and public broadcasting, hoping to file a bill as soon as Thursday. "Yesterday the White House sent the rescissions package. It's the first, maybe, of many. We are now putting that in bill format. We'll file that bill, hopefully by tomorrow, and then bring it up to the floor quickly," Representative Steve Scalise, the No. 2 House Republican, told a news conference. Scalise spoke a day after Trump sent Congress his formal "rescissions" memo requesting the elimination of $9.4 billion in spending already approved by lawmakers, opening a 45-day window for lawmakers to decide whether to back Trump in overturning spending plans many of them voted for in the past. House Speaker Mike Johnson, Scalise and other Republican House leaders issued a statement encouraging House members to support the measure, saying it would eliminate wasteful spending. Presidential rescissions packages have not passed in years, because previous Congresses have not wanted to give up their constitutionally mandated control of government spending. For example, lawmakers rejected Trump's request to revoke $15 billion in spending in 2018, during his first term. However, the current Republican leaders of the House and Senate have shown little appetite for opposing Trump, even those who in the past have been strong advocates for foreign aid. The rescissions package can pass with a simple majority in both chambers, so it would not need Democratic votes. Codifying the cuts into law will lessen the chances that reductions in government spending, which have been led by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) this year, will face legal challenges. Trump began slashing foreign assistance programs as soon as he began his second term on January 20, in his drive to ensure all government spending is in line with his America First policies, eliminate waste and stamp out "diversity, equity and inclusion" efforts. Critics have said the deep cuts in funding by the United States, the world's largest single donor, mean people around the world will die of starvation and from preventable diseases, undermine American leadership, and leave a vacuum for adversaries like Russia and China to fill. Trump himself said last month his administration's cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development have been "devastating." The cuts include rescinding $496 million of the $4 billion Congress approved for international disaster assistance, $460 million appropriated to assist former communist countries in Europe, Eurasia and Central Asia; $400 million of $6 billion for global health programs like fighting HIV/AIDS, and $142 million designated for UNICEF, the United Nations' children's fund. The package also includes $1.1 billion in cuts to funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Newsweek
20-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Medicaid Changes Get New Timeline: Who's Impacted
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. House Republicans are moving toward instituting work requirements for Medicaid recipients starting in early 2027. This is a significant shift from prior proposals, as they rally around President Donald Trump's expansive budget package known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill." The legislation seeks to enact sweeping tax cuts, increase border funding, and reshape social safety net programs. Republican House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana confirmed Monday that the GOP leadership will propose an earlier start date as part of their negotiations to advance the bill through Congress. "We're coming to a much earlier date, early 2027, that we're going to put in the bill in the Rules Committee this week," Scalise said in an interview on CNBC's Squawk Box, referring to the work requirements for Medicaid beneficiaries. Originally proposed for 2029, the new requirements have become a flashpoint in internal GOP negotiations, with conservative lawmakers demanding faster implementation. The change, Scalise said, is designed to give Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz sufficient time to manage the transition while addressing concerns that the previous timeline was too slow. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) speaks during a news conference following a House Republican conference meeting at the U.S. Capitol on May 6, 2025 in Washington, DC. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) speaks during a news conference following a House Republican conference meeting at the U.S. Capitol on May 6, 2025 in Washington, It Matters The change marks a strategic shift in the GOP's approach to social program reforms and reflects Trump's tightening grip on party policy ahead of the 2026 midterms. The bill aims to solidify key components of Trump's agenda, including permanent tax breaks, new tax exemptions, and significant cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programs. The Congressional Budget Office has projected that the proposed Medicaid changes would result in 7.6 million fewer people having health insurance. Meanwhile, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates that the entire legislative package could add approximately $3.3 trillion to the national debt over the next decade. While proponents argue that work requirements will encourage employment and reduce dependency, critics warn that the plan could result in coverage loss for vulnerable populations. What To Know Scalise's announcement came as GOP lawmakers prepared for a crucial vote in the House Rules Committee. The budget bill, over 1,100 pages long, includes wide-ranging provisions: tax cuts originally passed during Trump's first term would be made permanent, the standard deduction would be increased to $32,000 for joint filers, and the child tax credit would rise to $2,500. The legislation advanced out of the House Budget Committee during a rare late-night session on Sunday, with four Republican deficit hawks voting "present" to avoid derailing the process. The bill still faces hurdles on the House floor and in the Senate, where moderates are voicing concerns over deep cuts to social programs and regional tax disparities. It is very likely that the work requirement proposed in the recent adjustments to Medicaid will require that people on Medicaid between the ages of 18 and 64 work or have work-related activities for at least 80 hours per month, and the renewal process is every six months, said Chris Fong, CEO of Smile Insurance and a Medicare specialist. "The likely impact of this would have on people who are on Medicaid or attempting apply for Medicaid would likely result in a significant decline in enrollment into the Medicaid program," Fong told Newsweek. What People Are Saying Chris Fong, CEO of Smile Insurance and a Medicare specialist, told Newsweek: "The staffing required to review every six months is going to push the Medicaid budget to its limits due to the higher staff requirement to review these every six month renewal application applications." Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of told Newsweek: "The CBO is estimating that millions could lose coverage under these requirements, not because they're not working. When my cousin worked in healthcare admin, she'd tell me how most Medicaid recipients already work. They're just in low wage jobs that don't offer insurance. That's what makes this whole debate so frustrating to watch sometimes." What's Next The House Rules Committee is expected to finalize the revised bill language later this week. If it passes the House, the legislation will move to the Senate, where Republicans are also proposing amendments to address concerns from moderate and high-tax state lawmakers. "As for whether it'll pass...I'm skeptical. The House Republicans might get it through their chamber despite some internal disagreements (some think it doesn't go far enough, others worry about their constituents losing coverage), but it faces a much tougher road in the Senate," Ryan said. "What I find most telling is that even some Trump allies are privately warning that deep Medicaid cuts could be 'politically suicidal' in swing districts. Healthcare is such a personal issue. People really notice when you mess with their access to doctors and medication."
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Scalise: GOP eyeing Medicaid work requirements for ‘early 2027'
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said Monday that Republicans are eyeing early 2027 as the target date for the new Medicaid work requirements in the large budget package intended to advance and solidify President Trump's agenda. The timeline for the bill's new work requirements remains up in the air, as Republican leadership continues to negotiate with warring factions of the conference over details of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — which would extend Trump's tax cuts and boost his border funding priorities while reforming Medicaid and food assistance programs. The initial version of the legislation included work requirements that would take effect in 2029, but many conservatives argued that was not soon enough. Scalise confirmed in an interview Monday that the revised version of the bill will likely see an earlier effective date. 'We're coming to a much earlier date, early 2027, that we're going to put in the bill in the Rules Committee this week,' Scalise said in an interview Monday on CNBC's 'Squawk Box,' referring to the timing of Medicaid work requirements. Scalise said the reason for the initial delay is the time it takes to implement changes, which would be the responsibility of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz. Scalise said he worked with Oz to discuss the timing. 'So you're going to see a much earlier date, giving Dr. Oz the time he needs to implement the changes, but moving that date up dramatically,' he said. On whether he has concerns that moving up the timeline could risk losing moderate Republicans' support of the bill, Scalise noted that all members have had the chance to review the bill extensively and ask questions at a briefing last week. He said they will go over all the details again. 'We are talking to all of those members. We've talked to some of them during the weekend,' Scalise said about moderate Republicans. 'Everybody knew this was something that we were working on,' he added, about the timeline of work requirements. 'We're going to go through those details again this week before we bring it to the floor.' After Scalise's comments on Monday, House Republican leadership staff said in a briefing on ongoing negotiations that a new start date for the work requirements had not yet been decided. The bill advanced out of the House Budget Committee in a rare late-night vote on Sunday, with four Republican deficit hawks voting 'present' to let the bill advance. The GOP holdouts voted to tank the bill with Democrats on Friday night. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), one of those holdouts, suggested progress had been made to move up the start date for new Medicaid work requirements and to speed up the phaseout of green energy incentives. The bill now heads to the House Rules Committee, which is set to take up the legislation later this week and make last-minute changes to the bill to reflect any compromises and demands between deficit hawks and moderates in high-tax states. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
19-05-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Scalise: GOP eyeing Medicaid work requirements for ‘early 2027'
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said on Monday that Republicans are eyeing early 2027 as the target date for the new Medicaid work requirements in the large budget package intended to advance and solidify President Trump's agenda. The timeline for the bill's new work requirements remains up in the air, as Republican leadership continues to negotiate with warring factions of the conference over details of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — which would extend Trump's tax cuts and boost his border funding priorities while reforming Medicaid and food assistance programs. The initial version of the legislation included work requirements that would take effect in 2029, but many conservatives argued that was not soon enough. Scalise confirmed in an interview Monday that the revised version of the bill will likely see an earlier effective date. 'We're coming to a much earlier date, early 2027, that we're going to put in the bill in the Rules Committee this week,' Scalise said in an interview Monday on CNBC's 'Squawk Box,' referring to the timing of Medicaid work requirements. Scalise said the reason for the initial delay is the time it takes to implement changes, which would be the responsibility of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator Mehmet Oz. Scalise said he worked with Oz to discuss the timing. 'So you're going to see a much earlier date, giving Dr. Oz the time he needs to implement the changes, but moving that date up dramatically,' he said. On whether he has concerns that moving up the timeline could risk losing moderate Republicans' support of the bill, Scalise noted that all members have had the chance to review the bill extensively and ask questions at a briefing last week. He said they will go over all the details again. 'We are talking to all of those members. We've talked to some of them during the weekend,' Scalise said about moderate Republicans. 'Everybody knew this was something that we were working on,' he added, about the timeline of work requirements. 'We're going to go through those details again this week before we bring it to the floor.' After Scalise's comments on Monday, House Republican leadership staff said in a briefing on ongoing negotiations that a new start date for the work requirements had not yet been decided. The bill advanced out of the House Budget Committee in a rare, late-night vote on Sunday, with four Republican deficit hawks voting 'present' to let the bill advance. The GOP holdouts voted to tank the bill with Democrats on Friday night. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), one of those holdouts, suggested progress had been made to move up the start date for new Medicaid work requirements and to speed up the phaseout of green energy incentives. The bill now heads to the House Rules Committee, which is set to take up the legislation later this week and make last-minute changes to the bill to reflect any compromises and demands between deficit hawks and moderates in high-tax states.
