Senate Republicans approved a $9 billion rescissions package early Thursday morning, marking the first successful use of the rarely-invoked budget maneuver in more than two decades. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, which must act before Friday’s deadline to send it to President Trump’s desk for signature.
The legislation claws back roughly $8 billion in funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and an additional $1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which finances NPR and PBS. The move delivers a long-sought win for fiscal conservatives aiming to scale back U.S. foreign aid and public media spending.
“Tonight, our network’s service to the nation suffered a tremendous setback,” NPR says. “Together — and with support from listeners and readers in communities around the nation — we will work to rebuild.” https://t.co/74eV0zg48w
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) July 18, 2025
The bill passed the Senate narrowly, with two Republican senators — Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME) — siding with Democrats in opposition. Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) was absent due to hospitalization for an undisclosed condition. The final vote tally was 51–46.
“This is one-tenth of one percent of all federal spending … but it’s a step in the right direction,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said after the vote. “It’s the first time we’ve done anything like this in 35 years.”
The rescission mechanism allows the executive branch to propose the revocation of previously appropriated funds. Unlike standard spending bills, rescissions are not subject to the Senate filibuster, requiring only a simple majority to pass. That procedural advantage allowed Senate Republicans to sidestep a 60-vote threshold and move the bill without Democratic support.
This is a perilous moment for public media — but the resolve is stronger than ever. If you value independent journalism, educational programming, and trusted local coverage, please support your local PBS or NPR station. https://t.co/AewxuMWszc
— Geoff Bennett (@GeoffRBennett) July 18, 2025
Democrats criticized the move as a backdoor rollback of bipartisan agreements. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) warned that the tactic sets a dangerous precedent ahead of looming negotiations to fund the government past the September 30 deadline.
“It is absurd to expect Democrats to play along with funding the government if Republicans are just going to renege on a bipartisan agreement by concocting rescissions packages behind closed doors,” Schumer said last week.
The rescissions effort originated in the Trump administration’s Office of Management and Budget, which submitted the proposal to Congress in early June. While originally framed as a $9.4 billion clawback, the final version was trimmed slightly after bipartisan concern about proposed cuts to the PEPFAR AIDS relief program.
To secure votes, additional concessions were made: maternal health programs, global food assistance, and funding for rural public broadcasting stations were shielded from reductions after pressure from various senators.
That’s it. Congress has officially killed federal funding of PBS, NPR and local stations across the U.S. after decades of thwarted attempts. https://t.co/2SGFCBTbxf
— Ben Mullin (@BenMullin) July 18, 2025
Sen. Collins, who chairs the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, expressed support for eliminating wasteful spending but criticized the administration’s handling of the process, citing a lack of transparency from OMB.
President Trump previously attempted a rescissions package in 2018 — a $15 billion proposal that ultimately failed to gain Senate support. Former presidents Bush, Obama, and Biden did not attempt rescissions, according to the Government Accountability Office.
