President Donald Trump has signed a $9 billion rescissions package into law, which will reduce previously approved federal funds for foreign aid and public broadcasting. This legislative victory comes shortly after the president signed a significant tax and domestic policy measure.
The rescissions package pulls back nearly $8 billion in funding that was already approved for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), an agency that provided aid and development assistance to impoverished countries. USAID has seen layoffs and has been integrated into the State Department due to concerns that it was not serving U.S. core interests.
Additionally, the package cuts over $1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which provides federal funding for NPR and PBS. The total $9 billion cut represents only a fraction of the national debt, which is currently around $36.7 trillion.
The House had previously approved its version of the rescissions package, and the Senate narrowly passed the measure by a 51-48 margin. Senate Majority Leader John Thune stated that the measure aimed to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse within the federal government.
Democrats have criticized the cuts to foreign aid, arguing that it benefits China and Russia and puts national security at risk. They also believe that the package sets a dangerous precedent that could jeopardize various programs in the future.
President Trump had attempted a similar rescissions package in 2018, but it failed to gain support in the Senate. The last time Congress approved a rescissions package was in 1999.
