Latest news with #Trump Administration
Fox News
5 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
Trump's modest spending cuts package survives narrow Senate vote as some Republicans break ranks
What can you get for $9.4 billion? 3G Capital recently purchased footwear giant Skechers for $9.4 billion. $9.4 billion could cover your rent for a pretty nice apartment in New York City for more than 40,000 years. Yes, it will just be you and the cockroaches by then. Or, you could pay the cost of every major disaster in the past four decades – ranging from Chernobyl to Fukushima to Hurricane Sandy. But $9.4 billion isn't a lot when cast against nearly $7 trillion in annual spending by the federal government. And it's really not much money when you consider that the U.S. is about slip into the red to the tune of $37 trillion. Which brings us to the Congressional plan to cancel spending. That is, a measure from Republicans and the Trump Administration to rescind spending lawmakers already appropriated in March. The House and Senate are now clawing back money lawmakers shoved out the door for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and foreign aid programs under USAID. The original proposal cut $9.4 billion. But that figure dwindled to $9 billion – after the Senate restored money for "PEPFAR," a President George W. Bush era program to combat AIDS worldwide. In other words, you may have a couple thousand years lopped off from your rent-controlled apartment in New York City. Of course that hinges on what Democratic mayoral nominee Zorhan Mamdani decides to do, should he win election this fall. Anyway, back to Congressional spending. Or "un-spending." The House passed the original version of the bill in June, 216-214. Flip one vote and the bill would have failed on a 215-215 tie. Then it was on to the Senate. Republicans had to summon Vice President Vance to Capitol Hill to break a logjam on two procedural votes to send the spending cancellation bill to the floor and actually launch debate. Republicans have a 53-47 advantage in the Senate. But former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., along with Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska and Susan Collins, R-Maine, voted nay – producing a 50-50 tie. Fox is told some Senate Republicans are tiring of McConnell opposing the GOP – and President Trump – on various issues. That includes the nay votes to start debate on the spending cancellation bill as well as his vote against the confirmation of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in January. "He used to be the Leader. He was always telling us we need to stick together," said one GOP senator who requested anonymity. "Now he's off voting however he wants? How time flies." Note that McConnell led Senate Republicans as recently as early January. But McConnell ultimately voted for the legislation when the Senate approved it 51-48 at 2:28 am ET Thursday morning. Murkowski and Collins were the only noes. The services of Vice President Vance weren't needed due to McConnell's aye vote and the absence of Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn. She fell ill and was admitted to George Washington Hospital for exhaustion. As for the senior senator from Alaska, one GOP senator characterized it as "Murkowski fatigue." "She always asking. She's always wanting more," groused a Senate Republican. Murkowski secured an agreement on rural hospitals in exchange for her vote in favor of the Big, Beautiful Bill earlier this month. However, Murkowski did not secure more specificity on the DOGE cuts or help with rural, public radio stations in Alaska on the spending cut plan. "My vote is guided by the imperative of coming from Alaskans. I have a vote that I am free to cast, with or without the support of the President. My obligation is to my constituents and to the Constitution," said Murkowski. "I don't disagree that NPR over the years has tilted more partisan. That can be addressed. But you don't need to gut the entire Corporation for Public Broadcasting." In a statement, Collins blasted the Trump administration for a lack of specificity about the precision of the rescissions request. Collins, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee in charge of the federal purse strings, also criticized the administration a few months ago for a paucity of detail in the President's budget. "The rescissions package has a big problem – nobody really knows what program reductions are in it. That isn't because we haven't had time to review the bill," said Collins in a statement. "Instead, the problem is that OMB (the Office of Management and Budget) has never provided the details that would normally be part of this process." Collins wasn't the only Republican senator who worried about how the administration presented the spending cut package to Congress. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., fretted about Congress ceding the power of the purse to the administration. But unlike Collins, Wicker supported the package. "If we do this again, please give us specific information about where the cuts will come. Let's not make a habit of this," said Wicker. "If you come back to us again from the executive branch, give us the specific amounts in the specific programs that will be cut." DOGE recommended the cuts. In fact, most of the spending reductions targeted by DOGE don't go into effect unless Congress acts. But even the $9.4 billion proved challenging to cut. "We should be able to do that in our sleep. But there is looking like there's enough opposition," said Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., on Fox Business. So to court votes, GOP leaders salvaged $400 million for PEPFAR. "There was a lot of interest among our members in doing something on the PEPFAR issue," said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. "You're still talking about a $9 billion rescissions package - even with that small modification." The aim to silence public broadcasting buoyed some Republicans. "North Dakota Public Radio - about 26% of their budget is federal funding. To me, that's more of an indictment than it is a need," said Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. But back to the $9 billion. It's a fraction of one-tenth of one percent of all federal funding. And DOGE recommended more than a trillion dollars in cuts. "What does this say for the party if it can't even pass this bill, this piddling amount of money?" yours truly asked Sen. John Kennedy, R-La. "I think we're going to lose a lot of credibility. And we should," replied Kennedy. But the House needed to sync up with the Senate since it changed the bill – stripping the cut for AIDS funding. House conservatives weren't pleased that the Senate was jamming them again – just two weeks after major renovations to the House version of the Big, Beautiful Bill. But they accepted their fate. "It's disappointing that we're $37 trillion in debt. This to me was low-hanging fruit," said Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo. "At the end of the day, I'll take a base hit, right? It's better than nothing." White House Budget Director Russ Vought is expected to send other spending cancellation requests to Congress in the coming months. The aim is to target deeper spending reductions recommended by DOGE. But it doesn't auger well for future rescissions bills if it's this much of a battle to trim $9 trillion. What can you get for that much money? For Republicans, it's not much. Republicans were swinging for the fences with spending cuts. But in the political box score, this is recorded as just a base hit.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Mexico Attorney General files lawsuit as schools face $45M federal funding freeze
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – The New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez is trying to stop a federal freeze on some education funding that could halt more than a hundred New Mexico after-school and other learning programs expected to start just weeks from now. Story continues below News: New Mexico Supreme Court throws out embezzlement charges against former official Trending: A 'professional courtesy': How an officer crossed the line Community: Funding for farming internship program at APS in jeopardy KRQE Investigates: Embattled McKinley County DA asks for emergency funding to keep her office running The Trump Administration's funding freeze targets about$ 6 billion for a wide range of education programs. Roughly $45 million is on the line in New Mexico, which stands to have a major effect on K-12 schools, less than a month from now. 'These cuts go to heart of that relationship and undermines a commitment that we all share, Republicans and Democrats, that working families that are in public schools need and support as much as they can get,' said Attorney General Raúl Torrez. Torrez is joining 21 other attorneys general across the US trying to get a judge to get that federal education funding flowing again. The $45 million in play for New Mexico pays for tutoring English language learning and other programs like the 21st Century Community Learning Centers. They run more than 120 before and after-school programs in a lot of New Mexico's rural and underserved communities. Funding for those programs was frozen just one day before it was supposed to be paid out to school districts, who say there's no back-up plan yet. 'This is not about party lines, this is about the future of our students and our kids delaying our denying these funds sends a message that their education in negotiable,' said Superintendent Kristie Medina of Raton Public Schools. The AG also emphasized Wednesday that the federal funding freeze only stands to potentially worsen New Mexico's juvenile crime problem. So far, a federal judge has not scheduled a first hearing on the lawsuit, but the AG expects that the courts could decide on a temporary injunction within the next week. Earlier this month, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said she's considering the potential of calling a special session to deal with federal funding cuts, but hasn't said when that could happen. The Republican Party of New Mexico sent this statement: The Republican Party of New Mexico stands with President Trump in his effort to end reckless federal spending that prioritizes radical agendas over the real needs of American children. President Trump has long warned that he will cut funding for programs that promote DEI indoctrination and that cater to illegal immigrants at the expense of our students and our communities. We support this measure because we believe it will help secure the long-term viability of education programs that put New Mexico children first. While Attorney General Torrez claims that a potential freeze of $45 million in K–12 funding will harm schools across our state, it is important to recognize that rural schools—those he says will be hit hardest—have long suffered under current funding structures. These communities already receive fewer resources and face greater challenges than larger, urban districts, in which they over come successfully. Yet, the quality of education statewide has not improved under existing policies. We believe New Mexico students benefit most when local communities have control over their schools. That's why we continue to advocate for school choice. Parents across our state are demanding an end to ideological indoctrination and a return to academic excellence. They want the freedom to choose educational environments that reflect their values and truly prepare their children for the future. This lawsuit from the AG is more about political theater than protecting our kids. The RPNM will always support policies that return power to parents, cut wasteful spending, and focus our limited resources where they belong—on our children's success, not on federal mandates that dilute accountability and outcomes.' Amy Barela, Chairwoman, Republican Party of New Mexico Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘A privilege, not a right': Trump administration puts green card holders on notice
Are you traveling abroad with a green card as a guarantee of your re-entry into the United States? Customs and Border Protection (CBP) warns that you may experience difficulty entering under certain circumstances. The Trump Administration's new immigration policies include stricter screening of those entering the country through any port of entry, including those with legal permanent resident status. The CBP published a strongly-worded message on social media Tuesday detailing the current conditions for green card holders returning to the United States. 'Having a criminal record does not make you an honorable legal permanent resident. Possessing a green card is a privilege, not a right,' warns the CBP post. The agency notes that the United States government, 'under the laws of our nation,' has the authority to revoke green cards if laws are violated or abused. 'In addition to immigration removal proceedings, lawful permanent residents who present themselves at a U.S. port of entry with prior criminal convictions may be subject to mandatory detention,' the notice states. The warning is similar to previous messages directed at visa holders, in which federal agencies emphasize that immigration benefits can be revoked, which could lead to deportation. Under the Trump administration, foreigners have been deported even for minor offenses such as driving under the influence (DWI), according to official reports. This informational offensive by the administration includes various federal agencies, including the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which has also issued statements about stricter rules for granting immigration benefits, including permanent residency. The warnings also extend to international travelers entering through the Visa Waiver Program with ESTA electronic authorization, who could also face penalties if they violate the program's conditions.
