House sends $9 billion rescissions package to presidents desk

Published: Friday, July 18, 2025 at 12:24 am

House Approves $9 Billion Spending Cuts, Heads to President's Desk

Washington, D.C. - The House of Representatives narrowly approved a package to cancel $9 billion in federal spending, marking a significant win for the Trump administration. The vote, which passed 216-213, will now send the rescissions bill to President Trump's desk, where he is expected to sign it. This is the first time in decades that lawmakers have agreed to a White House request to claw back previously approved funding.

The package includes $7.9 billion in cuts to foreign aid and $1.1 billion in taxpayer support for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds NPR and PBS. The cuts align with the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) previous actions. The House used a procedural maneuver to bypass further votes, expediting the process.

The vote occurred on the deadline set by the 1974 impoundment control law. The process was not without challenges. Republicans on the Rules Committee faced pressure from Democrats regarding the release of Justice Department files related to Jeffrey Epstein.

While the Senate had previously sent the package back to the House, the Senate had removed a $400 million cut to the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program and added language to prevent the remaining cuts from impacting food assistance and some maternal health activities.

Opponents, including Democrats and some moderate Republicans, have criticized the lack of detail on which foreign aid programs will be affected. They also warn that the precedent could damage the annual appropriations process. White House officials have expressed satisfaction with the process and indicated that more rescission packages may follow. Democrats have criticized the cuts as harmful to humanitarian efforts and public broadcasting, while Republicans defend them as fulfilling a pledge to reduce waste.

BNN's Perspective:

While fiscal responsibility is a key tenet of good governance, the lack of transparency regarding the specific foreign aid programs affected raises concerns. The potential impact on vital humanitarian efforts and public broadcasting warrants careful consideration. The precedent set by this action could also further polarize the appropriations process, making bipartisan compromise more difficult in the future.

Keywords: spending cuts, rescissions package, foreign aid, public broadcasting, Trump administration, House vote, appropriations, DOGE, NPR, PBS, Jeffrey Epstein, PEPFAR, fiscal responsibility, bipartisan, government spending

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