by WASHINGTON (States Newsroom) — Congress faces yet another pressing deadline as it has just one week to approve the Trump administration’s request to revoke $9.4 billion in previously approved money for foreign aid and public media.
If the Senate doesn’t approve the bill by July 18, the White House budget office will have to spend the money and won’t be allowed to submit the same plan for what are known as rescissions.
However, a number of Republican senators’ concerns could either completely halt the package or significantly alter it, necessitating another House vote quickly. Following the enactment of the massive tax and expenditure cut package earlier this month, the Trump administration would suffer a setback if the plan were rejected.
Although he hasn’t publicly stated whether he believes the bill can succeed, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., seems certain he can have the votes required to start debate.
Next week, it will be displayed on the floor. At a press conference on Wednesday, Thune stated, “Hopefully, we get on it and then we’ll have an amendment process.” I’m sure you’re thrilled with the open amendment procedure, which is similar to a budget reconciliation measure and involves a vote-a-rama.
JD Vance needed again?
To move forward with the legislation in the face of united Democratic opposition, at least 50 Republicans must concur. With Vice President JD Vance’s tie-breaking vote, Thune can still start the debate even if he loses three GOP senators. The 60-vote legislative filibuster in the Senate does not apply to rescinded bills.
The Senate will start a protracted amendment voting session that could significantly alter the proposal after no more than ten hours of debate.
The clause canceling $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides funding for the Public Broadcasting Service, National Public Radio, and hundreds of local public media stations, might be entirely removed with enough Republican votes.
In a June hearing, Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Susan Collins, Senators Deb Fischer of Nebraska, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Mike Rounds of South Dakota raised concerns about the potential effects on emergency alerts and rural communities of removing previously approved funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
According to her office, Collins, a Republican from Maine, also expressed worry over the Trump administration’s attempts to rescind already approved funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, and is expected to introduce an amendment on the subject. President George W. Bush oversaw PEPFAR, a global effort to fight HIV/AIDS.
During the vote-a-rama, Democrats will have the opportunity to propose as many amendments as they like and may attempt to have each part of the measure removed one at a time, forcing Republicans to publicly comment on a wide range of foreign aid initiatives.
45 days for Trump request
Early in June, President Donald Trump forwarded the revocation request to Congress, giving lawmakers 45 days to think it over.
Legislators were urged to revoke $8.3 billion in foreign aid funds, which included $500 million for specific U.S. Agency for International Development global health projects.
According to the request, this proposal would eliminate programs that are contrary to American interests and negatively impact the lives of women and children, such as equity programs, LGBTQI+ activities, and family planning and reproductive health. It would not decrease treatment. The Administration’s efforts to cut back on unnecessary USAID foreign assistance programs are in line with this rescission plan.
The rescission request was approved by the House in mid-June, largely along party lines, but the legislation languished in the Senate for weeks while Republicans fought to enact their big, beautiful package.
Since delivering the rescission request to Congress, the White House budget office has been able to legally freeze the funds, but the Senate can decide to adopt the proposal as is, amend it, or let it expire.
Relations with White House
In the upcoming months and years, the senators’ choice will affect how Republicans in that chamber, particularly Thune and those on the Appropriations Committee, collaborate with Russ Vought, the director of the White House budget.
To avoid a shutdown, Congress and the Trump administration need to work out some kind of financial arrangement before the next fiscal year begins on October 1.
Although he hasn’t specified the precise time or programs he will include, Vought has stated that he intends to submit more rescission petitions to lawmakers.
As the Senate Appropriations Committee discussed three of the full-year federal spending bills Thursday, ranking member Patty Murray, D-Wash., stated that the rescissions package is unacceptable and could hinder the committee’s customarily bipartisan work.
According to Murray, we must ensure that choices regarding what to finance and, yes, what to revoke are made in Congress in a bipartisan manner and as part of our yearly spending process. Bipartisan rescission packages cannot be included in bipartisan financing measures. It won’t function. For this reason, I will reiterate to my colleagues that we are prepared to consider rescissions as part of these bipartisan funding measures from this side of the dais.
