Congress Sends $9b Spending Cuts Package To Trump's Desk After Late-night House Vote

Congress is officially sending a package detailing $9 cardinal successful spending cuts to President Donald Trump’s desk. 

The bill, called a "rescissions package," passed nan House of Representatives successful a late-night ballot aft aggravated statement betwixt Republicans and Democrats. 

It’s a triumph for House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., but a mostly symbolic 1 – nan spending cuts measure was mostly seen by Trump friends arsenic a trial tally of a fiscal claw-back process not utilized successful much than 2 decades.

"This measure coming is portion of continuing that inclination of getting spending nether control. Does it reply each nan problems? No. $9 billion, I would opportunity is simply a bully start," House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said during statement connected nan bill.

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House Speaker Mike Johnson ushered done President Donald Trump's spending cuts (Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

When signed by Trump, it will artifact $8 cardinal successful backing to nan U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and $1 cardinal to nan Corporation for Public Broadcasting for nan remainder of nan fiscal year. The dollars had been allocated by Congress for nan long of fiscal twelvemonth 2025.

Republicans celebrated it arsenic a triumph for cutting disconnected nan travel of U.S. payer dollars to what they called "woke" initiatives abroad, while Democrats accused nan correct of gutting captious overseas aid.

Rescissions packages are a measurement for nan president to person input successful Congress’ yearly appropriations process. The White House sends a connection to artifact immoderate congressionally obligated funds, which lawmakers person 45 days to get done nan House and Senate.

Republicans person besides been capable to sideline Democrats truthful far, pinch nan rescissions process lowering nan Senate’s period for transition from 60 votes to 51.

The past clip a rescissions package was signed into rule was 1999.

Consideration of nan measure began pinch a House Rules Committee proceeding astatine 6 p.m. connected Thursday evening.

Ranking personnel Rep. Jim McGovern attempted to unit aggregate voted related to Jeffrey Epstein (Tom Williams)

Democrats attempted aggregate times passim nan process to weaponize nan ongoing inter-GOP fallout complete nan Jeffrey Epstein case, some successful nan House Rules Committee and connected nan enclosure level during statement connected nan bill. 

Multiple calls were made for votes to unit nan merchandise of nan alleged Epstein "files."

"If each Republican votes to artifact our effort to merchandise nan records, they are telling Epstein's victims, you don't matter arsenic overmuch arsenic our governmental convenience. And that should disgust each azygous 1 of us," said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass.

Far-right GOP figures are demanding accountability, while Trump has called connected his guidelines to move connected aft nan Department of Justice (DOJ) signaled nan lawsuit was closed.

Initial plans to statesman advancing nan measure earlier successful nan time were quickly scuttled, pinch Republicans connected nan committee being concerned astir being put into a difficult position pinch imaginable Epstein votes.

In nan end, a discuss led to nan House Rules Committee advancing a abstracted nonbinding measurement dealing pinch Epstein transparency, connected a parallel way to nan rescissions bill.

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"All nan reliable grounds should travel out. I've been very clear pinch members of nan House Rules Committee. Republicans person been taking nan incoming disapproval because they voted to extremity nan Democrats' politicization of this, and they're trying to instrumentality to their occupation and move their procedural rules to nan level truthful we tin do our activity and get nan rescissions done for nan American people," Johnson told reporters during negotiations earlier successful nan day.

Democrats nevertheless pressed on, mentioning Epstein aggregate times connected nan House floor. McGovern moreover concisely led a chant of "release nan files" erstwhile closing statement connected nan bill.

Republicans, successful turn, accused Democrats of hypocrisy.

"Interesting really they talk astir Jeffrey Epstein, because for 4 years, Mr. Speaker, President Joe Biden had those files, and not a azygous Democrat that you're proceeding coming tried to get those files released," House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said astatine 1 constituent during nan House level debate.

The House initially voted to beforehand a $9.4 cardinal rescissions package, but it was trimmed somewhat in nan Senate after immoderate senators had concerns astir cutting backing for HIV/AIDS prevention investigation successful Africa.

Trump is expected to motion nan measure connected Friday.