The U.S. House plans to vote on Republicans’ $9 billion rescissions package ahead of the Friday deadline, but it remains unclear when.
The measure, which rescinds already appropriated federal spending on some foreign aid projects and public broadcasting programs, is back in the House after some Senate changes. If the House approves the upper chamber’s amendments, the bill will immediately head to the president’s desk for signature.
Originally clawing back a total of $9.4 billion, the package now revokes roughly $7.9 billion in “woke” foreign aid programs and $1.1 billion meant to fund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which finances NPR, PBS and some radio stations.
On Wednesday, Senate Republicans removed a provision canceling $400 million in PEPFAR funds in an attempt to placate three GOP holdouts whose opposition forced Vice President J.D. Vance to break the tie in a procedural vote Tuesday.
Despite the PEPFAR change, only Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., folded when the chamber finally voted 51-48 on the bill’s passage around 2 a.m. Due to concerns over rural radio station funding and unclear bill language, Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, joined all Democrats in opposing the bill.
Although the rescissions package – compiled by the Office of Management and Budget – does not include many details over specific program cuts, Republican leaders have floated a list of foreign aid initiatives deemed wasteful that will lose funding, including:
$21 million for wind farms in Ukraine$18 million to promote gender diversity in the Mexican street lighting industry $6 million for “Net Zero Cities” in Mexico$5 million to strengthen the “resilience of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer global movements” globally$4.4 million for the Melanesian Youth Climate Corps$3.3 million for civic engagement in Zimbabwe$3 million for Iraqi Sesame Street$2.5 million to teach children about how to make “environmentally friendly reproductive health” choices
It will also revoke millions in funds for “climate resilience” projects in developing countries – such as electric buses in Rwanda – as well as other “woke” global aid programs promoting everything from abortion pills and vegan foods to DEI awareness and LGBTQ activism.
Conservative groups and fiscal watchdogs have urged lawmakers to support the package as a small step towards tackling the federal deficit. Democrats, however, have threatened to later force a government shutdown if the bill makes it to the president’s desk. They argue that Republicans “cannot expect” Democrats to work with them on bipartisan government funding bills, which require 60 votes in the Senate to pass, if GOP lawmakers will later rescind anything they don’t like, which requires only a majority vote in the Senate.
Although the final House vote is scheduled for Thursday night, House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., has hinted that it may have to wait until Friday morning. If Congress fails to have the bill ready for President Donald Trump’s signature by Friday, the $9.4 billion must be distributed.
