Trump Signs $9 Billion Funding Rescission Bill into Law

President Trump has officially signed a bill that will rescind $9 billion in funding previously approved for foreign aid and public broadcasting. This marks a significant moment in U.S. legislative history, as it is the first time in many years that Congress has cooperated with a president's request to revoke allocated funds. The package received approval from both the House and Senate through late-night votes just ahead of a critical July 18 deadline, which would have compelled Congress to allocate funds as initially designated.

Approximately $8 billion of the legislation will affect foreign assistance programs, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Additionally, around $1 billion will be cut from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds notable services such as NPR and PBS. While support for the package was notably high among Republican senators, some expressed concerns, primarily due to a lack of detailed information from the administration regarding the potential consequences for specific programs.

Key issues included funding for a global AIDS prevention initiative and the importance of public radio and television stations in rural and tribal regions, which are essential for disseminating emergency information. To address these concerns, the final version of the bill removed proposed cuts to the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and the administration committed to finding alternative funding sources to support rural broadcast stations. Nevertheless, not all Republicans in the House backed the measure, with some voicing their opposition to its passage.

Republican leaders anticipate that this will be the first of several funding rescission efforts, as they aim to eliminate what they view as "waste, fraud and abuse" in government spending. Future proposals are expected to ignite further controversy among lawmakers, particularly those who argue that Congress should maintain its authority over budget approvals, rather than deferring to the president's requests.