President Donald Trump secured a significant legislative victory early Friday as the House passed a $9 billion package of spending cuts targeting foreign aid and public broadcasting, a centerpiece of his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative. The bill, approved by a narrow 216-213 vote, now heads to the president's desk for signature.
The final package includes approximately $8 billion in cuts to congressionally approved foreign aid programs, largely impacting the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and $1.1 billion in reductions to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds outlets such as NPR and PBS.
The measure passed along mostly partisan lines, with only two Republicans-Reps. Mike Turner and Brian Fitzpatrick-joining all Democrats in voting against it. Trump celebrated the passage on Truth Social, declaring, "THIS IS BIG!!!"
House Speaker Mike Johnson called the bill "a good start," noting, "We're going to downsize the scope of government. Government is too large. It does too many things, and it does almost nothing well." Johnson emphasized the GOP's intention to continue demonstrating "limited government that's accountable and efficient."
The package, slightly reduced from an earlier $9.4 billion proposal due to the Senate's decision to preserve $400 million in funding for the global AIDS relief program PEPFAR, still marks the most significant use of a presidential rescissions tool in more than three decades.
"It's better than nothing," said Rep. Eric Burlison (R., Mo.). "We saw how DOGE exposed a lot of this misuse of funds."
House passage followed a tense negotiation period during which several GOP members conditioned their support on greater transparency over the Jeffrey Epstein case. The House Rules Committee ultimately approved both the DOGE bill and a non-binding resolution calling for the release of additional Epstein files. However, Speaker Johnson declined to commit to bringing the resolution to the floor, stating, "We will see how all of this develops."
The push for Epstein file disclosure has opened a fissure within the GOP conference. Some Trump allies have expressed frustration over the administration's resistance to publicizing further details from the investigation, prompting intra-party demands for accountability.
Despite the tension, the DOGE cuts package represents a milestone for Trump. He becomes the first president in approximately 30 years to successfully utilize the rarely invoked presidential budget rescission process to bypass the Senate filibuster.
While Republicans hailed the measure, Democrats raised concerns about its implications for bipartisan cooperation ahead of the September 30 government funding deadline. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized GOP lawmakers for undermining trust. "I don't have much faith in that," Schumer told CNN, referring to Senate Republicans' promises to negotiate in good faith.
OMB Director Russ Vought, architect of the DOGE initiative, called for a less bipartisan approach to appropriations, signaling an aggressive stance heading into future budget battles.
NPR President Katherine Maher voiced concern after the Senate vote, particularly following an earthquake-triggered tsunami warning in Alaska. "Public radio is a lifeline, connecting rural communities to the rest of the nation, and providing life-saving emergency broadcasting and weather alerts. It cannot be replaced," Maher said.
