House Republicans Approve Spending Cuts Package
On Thursday, House Republicans greenlit a package aimed at cutting previously approved federal spending, impacting foreign aid and public broadcasting like NPR and PBS by a total of $9 billion.
This so-called retirement bill narrowly passed with a vote of 216-213. Interestingly, two Republicans from Pennsylvania and Ohio—Brian Fitzpatrick and Mike Turner—voted alongside all Democrats.
The urgency was palpable, as the House had a deadline to meet on Friday. The measure had originally been sent to Congress back in June, part of an effort to enact cuts identified by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Earlier that day, the Senate also passed the bill, though it saw opposition from Senators Lisa Markovsky (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), along with all 46 Democrats currently in the Senate.
Now, the bill will make its way to President Trump’s desk for approval after these modifications originating from the Senate. If signed, it will reclaim roughly $8 billion earmarked for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and over $1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which supports NPR and PBS.
Despite House Republicans presenting the package to the Senate last month, discussions lingered for weeks due to various concerns surrounding the proposed cuts. Eventually, the Trump administration signed off on a plan that included about $400 million in reductions for federal programs aimed at combating AIDS globally.
In a separate matter, efforts within the House Rules Committee led by Democrats were directed at amending a proposal to release documents tied to the notorious Jeffrey Epstein case. Instead, Republicans opted to advance a non-binding resolution supporting the release of certain documents and records related to the investigation.
On Thursday night, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) limited his speech to just 15 minutes, which was quite a contrast to his record-setting nine-hour speech earlier this month, previously held by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif), utilizing the so-called “magic minutes” debate.
Looking ahead, White House Budget Director Russ Wotan is anticipated to present additional requests for funding to Congress in the following months.
