Senate Advances Trump-Backed $9.4B Cuts to Foreign Aid, Public Broadcasting

The U.S. Senate is moving forward with a rescissions package proposed by President Donald Trump that seeks to cut $9.4 billion in federal spending, primarily targeting foreign aid and public broadcasting. The package would eliminate $8 billion from international programs including global health initiatives and refugee aid, and $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds NPR, PBS, and thousands of local stations. Republicans largely support the cuts as a measure to reduce federal spending and address national debt concerns, with Vice President JD Vance casting a tie-breaking vote to advance the bill. However, a few Republican senators, including Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, oppose the cuts, citing potential harm to critical public health programs and media services that serve rural and underserved communities. Democrats uniformly oppose the measure, arguing it would damage U.S. global leadership and diminish access to essential public media. The Senate faces a tight deadline to act before the rescissions request expires, and any amendments could require additional House approval, adding uncertainty to the outcome.