Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives have secured a narrow victory on legislation that would rescind $9.4 billion in federal spending, including significant cuts to public broadcasting. The contentious bill codifies actions previously taken by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
According to a New York Post report, the bill passed by a razor-thin margin of 214-212 on Thursday, with four Republicans breaking ranks to vote with Democrats against the measure. The legislation targets approximately $8.3 billion previously allocated to the US Agency for International Development and $1.1 billion to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which helps fund NPR and PBS.
The rescissions package now heads to the Senate, where it will need only a simple majority to advance to President Trump's desk for signature. This rare congressional maneuver allows lawmakers to cancel funding that had been previously appropriated for fiscal year 2025.
House Speaker Mike Johnson praised the Department of Government Efficiency for its work identifying potential cuts, framing the legislation as necessary fiscal discipline. The Louisiana Republican has positioned the bill as fulfilling GOP promises to formalize DOGE initiatives into law.
"I want to thank DOGE for their heroic and patriotic efforts," Johnson told reporters after the vote. "What we're trying to do is ensure that every dollar spent by the federal government is used efficiently and effectively."
The bill comes amid pressure from fiscal conservatives to address government spending, though the $9.4 billion represents only a fraction of the federal budget. President Trump had previously described the measure as a "no-brainer" and urged all House Republicans to support it.
House Democrats mounted a passionate defense of public broadcasting, with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries dramatically brandishing an Elmo doll during floor debate. The New York Democrat characterized the legislation as harmful to educational programming for children.
"It actually represents an attack on children. This is extraordinary to me," Jeffries said during the debate. "We're on the floor of the House of Representatives, not debating legislation that is designed to make this country and our economy more affordable, but actually debating legislation that targets Elmo and Big Bird and Daniel Tiger and Sesame Street."
The four Republicans who voted against the bill were Representatives Mark Amodei of Nevada, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Nicole Malliotakis of New York, and Mike Turner of Ohio. Two other Republicans initially voted no but switched their votes under pressure from party leadership.
The rescissions package targets what Republicans describe as wasteful spending, including $3 million for an Iraqi version of "Sesame Street," $6 million for constructing "Net Zero Cities" in Mexico, and $2 million for educating children on environmentally friendly reproductive decisions.
A White House budget memo reported in April accused the Corporation for Public Broadcasting of having a "lengthy history of anti-conservative bias." The document, drafted by White House budget director Russ Vought, specifically cited NPR CEO Katherine Maher's past criticism of Trump as a "fascist" and "deranged racist" – statements Maher told Congress last month she now regrets.
The bill represents the first major legislative victory for DOGE, which was established to identify inefficiencies in government spending. Tech billionaire Elon Musk had previously criticized Congress for failing to codify DOGE recommendations, prompting Republican leadership to accelerate legislative action.
The House vote sends the bill to the Senate with a 45-day timeline for action under the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. Unlike previous administrations, the Trump White House has embraced the rarely-used rescissions tool to cancel already-appropriated funding.
Trump had attempted only one rescissions package during his first term, totaling about $14.7 billion, which failed in the Senate by a 50-48 vote. Former Presidents Biden, Obama, and Bush all declined to pursue such measures, according to the Government Accountability Office.
The effort represents just one front in the ongoing fiscal battle in Washington. Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act features $1.25 trillion in spending cuts over the next decade, though the Congressional Budget Office estimates it would add $3 trillion to the deficit during that same period.
