House Approves $9 Billion Trump Spending Cuts Package

Congress is advancing fiscal 2026 spending bills with an overall reduction of $45 billion compared to 2025, protecting defense, veterans, and homeland security while cutting other programs, including a 23% reduction to the EPA budget. Concurrently, the House and Senate passed a $9 billion spending cuts package championed by President Donald Trump, targeting foreign aid—including nearly $8 billion from USAID—and $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds NPR and PBS. The bill passed largely along party lines, with a few Republicans opposing it, and was expected to be signed into law by President Trump. The cuts package followed intense negotiations, including disputes over a Jeffrey Epstein-related transparency measure, which was resolved to allow the bill to advance. Senate modifications reduced the cuts slightly and removed reductions to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, while Trump pressured GOP senators to support defunding public broadcasting. This spending legislation and the cuts package reflect the current administration's priorities and efforts to codify reductions initiated by the Department of Government Efficiency.