Vice President JD Vance cast two tie-breaking votes in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, advancing a $9.4 billion rescissions bill championed by President Donald Trump. The legislation, which aims to slash spending across foreign aid and liberal public media outlets, cleared its final procedural hurdle after a 50-50 split vote—twice—requiring Vance’s intervention to proceed.
The bill passed the House last month and targets deep cuts in federal spending, including $8.3 billion from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and $1.1 billion from public broadcasters NPR and PBS. Three Republican senators—Mitch McConnell, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski—broke ranks to vote with Democrats, but the rest of the GOP caucus aligned with Trump’s call to curb unnecessary federal programs.
Now entering up to 10 hours of floor debate, the Senate will hear fierce opposition from Democrats, who oppose reductions in foreign assistance and domestic broadcasting. Republicans are expected to defend the bill as a much-needed step to rein in wasteful spending and restore fiscal responsibility.
A possible GOP-led amendment may preserve $400 million for PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. This carveout, backed by the White House, is seen as a strategic move to secure full Republican support in the Senate. Senate Minority Whip John Thune indicated it was a response to internal concerns about cutting the long-standing Bush-era global health initiative.
However, any Senate changes must return to the House for approval before Friday’s deadline. House Speaker Mike Johnson and members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus have urged Senate Republicans to avoid amending the bill, warning that alterations could threaten final passage.
