US House Revokes $9.4B in Federal Funds
The House voted to revoke $9.4 billion in federal funds, a move targeting USAID and public media, NPR, and PBS, aiming to slash government spending. This decision, spearheaded by the White House and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), reflects a shift in fiscal priorities. The narrow 214-212 vote,influenced by internal discussions,sets the stage for a Senate debate on the impact of these cuts,especially concerning foreign aid and global health programs,including the PEPFAR AIDS program,facing potential reductions. Speaker Johnson cited the end of wasted taxpayer money, while scrutiny grows around the influence the bill’s cuts will have on global and domestic initiatives.For news and developments, News Directory 3 has the updates. Discover what’s next as the bill heads to the Senate.
House Narrowly Approves Revoking Billions in Federal Funding
The House of Representatives,with a Republican majority,narrowly passed a bill to revoke over $9.4 billion in already allocated federal funds. This move, championed by the White House and the department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), aims to cut government spending.
The rescinded funds were primarily earmarked for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and public media outlets NPR and PBS. The vote tally was 214-212, with two republicans changing their votes after discussions with House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Speaker Johnson issued a statement following the vote, asserting that taxpayer money is no longer being wasted under President Trump’s leadership. The vote occurred shortly after a public dispute between Elon Musk and Donald Trump regarding Musk’s involvement in federal affairs.
President Trump praised the House action on Truth Social, stating it would recover $9.4 billion from wasteful foreign aid. He also criticized NPR and PBS as being biased and threatened their funding, which could result in a loss of $1.1 billion.
“NPR and PBS are a disaster of the extreme left and 1,000% against the Republican Party,” President Trump said.
Trump had previously signed an executive order in early May to halt funding to the two public media organizations,a move NPR has challenged in court. The House bill seeks to codify the cuts identified by DOGE and requested by the White House, despite previous congressional approval of the funds.
Of the total, $8.3 billion was allocated to foreign aid through USAID, which has been significantly reduced since becoming a primary target of DOGE. Global public health initiatives, including the PEPFAR AIDS program, could also be affected, with $400 million potentially cut.
What’s next
The bill now moves to the Senate, where it also requires Republican approval to pass. The Senate will debate the merits of the bill and consider its potential impact on various programs and agencies before holding a vote.