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The United States Senate has approved legislation aimed at rescinding $9 billion in previously allocated congressional funds, encompassing reductions to public broadcasting and foreign aid initiatives.
The measure passed by a 51-48 vote in the early hours of Thursday, following an extended overnight session characterized by amendment negotiations led by the Republican majority.
This rescissions package, designed to reclaim approved funding, aligns with President Donald Trump’s broader objective of curtailing federal expenditure.
The bill now returns to the House of Representatives, which previously endorsed its own version proposing $9.4 billion in cuts.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune stated prior to the vote, “It’s a small but important step toward fiscal sanity that we all should be able to agree is long overdue.”
Earlier disagreements arose over a House provision that would have slashed approximately $400 million from PEPFAR, the U.S.-backed HIV/AIDS program.
Republicans secured a majority after an amendment was introduced to preserve PEPFAR funding.
However, numerous other amendments intended to maintain international aid levels and funding for public broadcasting were defeated.
The Senate-approved bill would still reduce funding by approximately $8 billion across various aid programs, including global health initiatives administered by USAID, the primary U.S. philanthropic agency.
Furthermore, the legislation proposes cuts exceeding $1 billion to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which supports NPR, PBS, and radio stations vital to many rural communities.
Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska was among the two Republicans who joined all Democrats in opposing the bill, citing concerns over public broadcasting cuts.
In response to the Senate’s passage, NPR President Katherine Maher emphasized that it is “essential that its funding be sustained.”
Maher added in a written statement that just the previous day, Alaskans had been instructed to tune into local radio stations, including NPR affiliates, for tsunami warning updates following an offshore earthquake.
“We call on the House of Representatives to reject this elimination of public media funding, which directly harms their communities and constituents, and could very well place lives at risk,” she continued.
The bill now proceeds to the House for a vote, where its fate remains uncertain following the reduction of $400 million from the House’s proposed spending cuts.
When questioned about the alterations, House Speaker Mike Johnson stated, “We wanted them to pass it unaltered like we did.”
Both the House and Senate must agree on a unified version of the rescissions package before its expiration on Friday, at which point Republicans would lose the opportunity to implement the funding reductions.
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