Senate Votes To Cut $9-B From Public Broadcasting, Foreign Aid

Senate Republicans have approved President Donald Trump’s proposal to claw back billions in global health and public media funding, pushing through despite frustrations within the GOP over the White House’s lack of transparency during the process, Jordain Carney and Katherine Tully-McManus reported for Politico.

The package marks the first time in decades that a rescissions measure has cleared the Senate.

The spending cuts, requested by the White House, narrowly passed in a 51–48 vote. GOP Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine joined Democrats in voting “no.”

Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) missed the vote; her staff said she was being kept in the hospital overnight “out of an abundance of caution.”

Because the Senate made changes to the legislation, it must now return to the House, which is expected to vote on the updated version later Thursday. Trump must sign the rescissions bill by the end of Friday, or the administration will be required to spend the funds previously approved by Congress.

“What we are talking about is one-tenth of one percent of all federal spending … but it’s a step in the right direction, and it’s the first time we’ve done anything like this in 35 years,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.)..

The package marks the first time in decades that a rescissions measure has cleared the Senate.

In 2018, a $15 billion rescissions request from Trump was narrowly blocked in the GOP-controlled chamber, after opposition from Collins and then-Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina, Jennifer Scholtes also reported for Politico.