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Senate Questions Trump’s $9.4 Billion Rescission Package

Lawmakers pressed OMB Director Russell Vought on whether the cuts could undermine PEPFAR funding, raising concerns about the future of rural public media stations.

Overview

  • Russell Vought testified June 25 before the Senate Appropriations Committee defending rescissions that would reclaim $8.3 billion in foreign aid and $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
  • Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins and other Republicans warned the cuts could hinder PEPFAR’s HIV/AIDS relief and disrupt multi-year global health and nutrition programs.
  • Senators including Lisa Murkowski and Mike Rounds cautioned that eliminating CPB funding could leave rural and Native American stations without essential emergency communication services.
  • Senator Mitch McConnell described the rescissions process as “unnecessarily chaotic” and warned it might create vacuums for adversaries such as China to expand influence.
  • With a July 18 deadline looming, the rescission package’s fate remains uncertain as bipartisan resistance grows despite its House approval on June 12.