WASHINGTON — The White House has submitted a formal request to Congress for a $9.4 billion reduction in federal spending, primarily targeting foreign aid and public broadcasting. The proposal, known as a rescissions package, is based on recommendations from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which was led by tech entrepreneur Elon Musk until his recent departure.
The package proposes cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), National Public Radio (NPR), the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), and several global health and humanitarian programs. If approved, the package would require only a simple majority in both the House and Senate, enabling Republicans to advance it without Democratic support.
Key proposed cuts include:
- $8.3 billion from foreign aid programs, including funding for LGBTQ initiatives, reproductive health services, education, and transportation development abroad.
- $142 million from contributions to UNICEF and nearly $9 million from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
- $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which supports NPR and PBS.
- Reduced contributions to the World Health Organization.
Although these cuts represent a small portion of the federal government’s $6.8 trillion annual budget, Republican lawmakers are presenting the move as a symbolic effort to promote fiscal responsibility. Meanwhile, the GOP is also backing a domestic policy package projected to increase the national debt by more than $2 trillion.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) expressed strong support, stating:
“This rescissions package reflects many of DOGE’s findings and is one of the many legislative tools Republicans are using to restore fiscal sanity. The House will bring this package to the floor as quickly as possible.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) also indicated the Senate is prepared to take up the proposal, which Congress has 45 days to consider following its formal submission.
Rescissions packages are rarely enacted, as they require reversing previously approved funding. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, acknowledged the challenges ahead:
“We’re still talking with the parliamentarian about what can and can’t be done. It’s extremely complex, and the rules are difficult to navigate because we haven’t seen a successful rescission in many years.”
The conservative House Freedom Caucus, led by Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), is urging immediate action. In a statement, the group said:
“There is no excuse for a Republican House not to advance the first DOGE rescissions package the same week it is presented to Congress. The Swamp will inevitably attempt to slow and kill these cuts, but we stand ready to support as many more rescissions as the White House can send.”
If passed by the Republican-controlled Congress, the package is expected to be signed into law by President Donald Trump, marking one of the final initiatives developed under DOGE’s direction.
Source: NBCNEWS
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