Funding Cuts Approved by House Republicans
House Republicans have given the go-ahead for the initial set of funding reductions proposed by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), sending a $9 billion package to President Trump for his approval.
In a vote on Thursday night, the Lower Chamber approved cuts affecting both federal support for public broadcasting and foreign aid, with a narrow margin of 216-213.
Nearly all House Republicans backed the measure, with only two dissenters: Brian Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania and Mike Turner from Ohio, alongside all Democrats who opposed the cuts.
Speaker Mike Johnson from Louisiana celebrated the victory after the vote, stating that the decision came after some controversy regarding the Trump administration’s management of documents related to certain investors.
“We’re committed to financial responsibility and fiscal discipline. We reaffirm those promises tonight,” Johnson expressed to reporters after the vote.
He also mentioned, “I’m pleased to send this to the president for signing, and I expect he will do so shortly.”
The Senate approved the rescissions package early Thursday morning with a 51-48 vote, marking another legislative win for Trump, who has promised to shrink the size of federal government.
However, two Republican senators sided with Democrats against the bill, including Senate Budget Committee Chairman Susan Collins from Maine and Senator Lisa Murkowski from Alaska.
Collins, known for her moderate stance, expressed concerns related to her connection with Russell Vert, the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), during a lunch meeting on Tuesday.
Senator John Tune commented on the Senate’s version of the package before the final House vote, calling it “a small but necessary step towards financial sanity, though we know it may take time before we fully agree on it.”
The initial rescissions package includes cuts to the U.S. International Development Agency (USAID), which the Trump administration is particularly targeting. This was officially announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier this month.
Additionally, the measure includes provisions to “claw back” funding from public broadcasting entities that support PBS and NPR, which many conservatives, including the president, have criticized for perceived bias, arguing they should not receive federal funding.
