By Joke Kujenya
THE UNITED States House of Representatives has approved a sweeping $9 billion rescissions package, delivering President Donald Trump his second major legislative win in less than six months and setting the stage for a dramatic rollback in federal spending on foreign aid and public broadcasting.
Passed by a narrow 216-213 margin early Friday, the measure grants the Trump administration authority to claw back billions in funds already authorised by Congress.
The bill now heads to the president’s desk for signature, solidifying a long-standing Republican objective to curb what they have labelled excessive and unnecessary expenditures.
Also, a rescissions package enables the White House to revoke unspent funds, and in this case, more than $1 billion is being cut from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which supports over 1,500 local public radio and television stations across the country.
The remaining $8 billion targets foreign aid, including billions for programmes supporting democracy building, refugee assistance, and emergency responses in disaster-hit regions.
On Truth Social, Trump celebrated the vote: “House approves nine-billion-dollar cuts package, including atrocious NPR and public broadcasting, where billions of dollars a year were wasted.
Republicans hare said to have been trying to do this for 40 years and failed…But no more. This is big, the President exclaimed!!!”
The legislation cleared the lower chamber just before a Friday deadline that would have voided the administration’s authority to pursue the rescissions.
The Republican leadership rallied its slim majority despite internal party friction, particularly over the administration’s handling of unrelated controversies including the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
Two GOP lawmakers—Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick and Mike Turner – broke ranks and joined Democrats in opposing the bill.
The Senate had passed an amended version of the rescissions proposal the day prior in a 51-48 party-line vote, with no Democratic support.
The decision to axe $1.1 billion from CPB spans funding allocations for the next two budget years.
Local stations reliant on federal backing are expected to feel the immediate impact, despite assurances from some Republicans that services would continue with leaner support.
Foreign assistance cuts include $4.15 billion allocated for democratic institution development in emerging economies, $800 million for refugee family reunification programmes, and $496 million set aside for disaster-affected nations.
House Speaker Mike Johnson hailed the bill as a critical milestone in the drive for “fiscal sanity.”
Representative Virginia Foxx, chair of the House Rules Committee, reinforced that the funds belonged to taxpayers: “The money that we’re clawing back in this rescissions package is the people’s money. We ought not to forget that.”
Democratic opposition remained unified. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticised the bill’s implications for America’s global leadership, stating,
“This is not an America first bill. It’s a China first bill because of the void that’s being created all across the world.”
Kate Riley, president of America’s Public Television Stations, described the outcome as a “short-term, half-measure” that would still result in diminished services at stations nationwide.
Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought called the vote a sign of “enthusiasm” for fiscal responsibility and indicated that further rescissions packages could follow in the near future.
