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Legislative bills

Senate Republicans Push to Slash $9.4bn in Funds for Foreign Aid and Public Broadcasting

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Senate Republicans are likely to vote on Tuesday to pass a bill that would eliminate $9.4 billion in funds Congress had already approved for foreign aid programs and public broadcasting, as part of the Trump administration's efforts to slash government spending. The bill, known as a rescissions package, would cancel $1.1 billion budgeted for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds NPR and PBS, and $8.3 billion meant for foreign assistance programs, including global immunization campaigns and HIV prevention efforts.

The Senate majority leader, John Thune, has described the bill as "commonsense legislation" that targets "waste, fraud and abuse" in government spending. However, the bill has faced resistance from Democrats and some Republicans, who argue that it would harm important programs and undermine bipartisanship in appropriations.

Key Takeaways:

  • The rescissions package, if passed, would eliminate $9.4 billion in funds Congress had already approved for foreign aid programs and public broadcasting.
  • The bill would cancel $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and $8.3 billion in funding for foreign assistance programs.
  • The package includes a $400m cut to Pepfar, a program credited with saving millions of people from HIV infection or death, which was created under Republican president George W. Bush in 2003.
  • Some Republicans, such as Senator Susan Collins, have expressed concerns about the package's impact on important programs and have called for more targeted approaches to addressing perceived biases at NPR and PBS.
  • Other Republicans, such as Senator Mike Rounds, have expressed support for the bill, citing the importance of public broadcasting in rural areas.

Statistics:

  • $9.4 billion: total amount of funds being cut by the rescissions package
  • $1.1 billion: amount of funding slated for cancellation for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
  • $8.3 billion: amount of funding slated for cancellation for foreign assistance programs
  • $400m: amount of funding slated for cut to Pepfar program
  • 2003: year in which Pepfar was created under Republican president George W. Bush

Sources:

  • Chris Stein in Washington Senate Republicans may as soon as Tuesday move to pass legislation slashing $9.4bn in funds Congress had earlier approved for foreign aid programs and public broadcasting...

— Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

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