House sends bill to rescind billions for foreign aid and public media to the White House

President Donald Trump is expected to sign into law a measure that would claw back a total of $9 billion in funding that Congress previously approved for foreign assistance programs and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. 

A little after midnight Friday morning, the House passed the Rescissions Act of 2025 (H.R. 4) in a 216-213 vote. Moderate Republicans Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Mike Turner of Ohio joined Democrats in opposition. 

Congressional Democrats argued the rescissions bill would validate the Trump administration’s efforts to freeze congressionally-approved spending that it disagrees with. 

“Since taking office, the Trump administration has stolen funds appropriated by Congress, passed by Republicans and Democrats in the House and in the Senate and signed into law by the president, upending the separation of powers and our constitutional order,” said House Appropriations Committee ranking member Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn. “They are doing all this to hand billionaires and the biggest corporations — who already pay little to no taxes — a massive tax break in the Big Ugly Bill. Passing this bill was shameful and its ramifications will be felt not only in our communities, but around the world.”

The “Big Ugly Bill” is Democrats’ nickname for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) that Trump enacted earlier this month. It extends tax cuts and boosts funding for immigration enforcement, among other domestic priorities for the president. 

Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought told reporters Thursday morning that the White House will likely send additional recession requests. 

“I think it's likely you'll see an additional package,” he said. “In terms of seeing whether this was a useful effort that was not a waste of time, it certainly has satisfied that threshold.”

Foreign assistance programs have been particularly targeted by the Department of Government Efficiency, and Trump in May issued an executive order to cease funding to NPR and PBS, which are supported by CPB, arguing that they don’t report the news in a fair, accurate or unbiased manner. 

The Senate on Thursday passed, 51-48, the legislation after making several changes, including removing a $400 million cut to the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).