White House Agrees to Exempt PEPFAR From $9 Billion Spending Cuts

The Trump administration has agreed to exempt the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) from a $9.4 billion rescissions package currently under consideration in Congress, reducing the total proposed cuts to $9 billion. PEPFAR, a global anti-AIDS initiative launched in 2003 by President George W. Bush, provides critical HIV treatment in 54 developing countries and has been credited with saving millions of lives. Senate Republicans, including Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, voiced concerns over PEPFAR cuts, leading to a substitute amendment supported by the White House that excludes PEPFAR from spending clawbacks. This amendment requires the House to vote again on the revised rescissions package ahead of a Friday deadline. Meanwhile, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting remains subject to cuts, though a deal has been reached to redirect unallocated funds to support Native American radio stations affected by funding losses. Senate GOP leaders are confident they have the votes to pass the adjusted rescissions bill with these changes.