The House of Representatives is preparing to pass a rescissions bill that would eliminate approximately $9 billion in spending, including $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which supports NPR and PBS. The move follows Senate approval of the measure in a narrow 51–48 vote on July 17, with the final House vote expected before a midnight deadline on Friday, July 18.
The package, championed by President Trump, also includes nearly $8 billion in foreign aid cuts. Trump requested the rescissions in May, calling public broadcasting “biased” and warning Republicans that support for NPR and PBS would jeopardize his endorsement. The Republican-controlled House had previously passed an earlier version of the bill by a 214–212 margin in June.
NPR’s CEO, Katherine Maher, stated that NPR cuts would be a “real risk to the public safety of the country.”
At her press briefing Thursday morning, Karoline Leavitt responded to this claim, stating, “I am not sure how NPR, helps the public safety of our country, but I do know that NPR, unfortunately, has become really just a propaganda voice for the left.
“These are not honest news organizations. These are partisan, left-wing outlets that are funded by the taxpayers. And this administration does not believe it’s a good use of the taxpayer’s time and money.”
This marks the first successful use of a rescissions bill in decades. Unlike most legislation, rescission packages bypass Senate filibusters and require only a simple majority to pass. Although most Republicans supported the measure, Senators Lisa Murkowski (R–AK) and Susan Collins (R–ME) voted with Democrats in opposition.
In response to the proposed cuts, PBS President Paula Kerger cautioned that the reduction would have a severe impact on rural and small-market stations, including their ability to provide emergency alerts and public safety programming. NPR CEO Katherine Maher echoed the concerns, stating that nearly 75% of Americans rely on public radio for essential news and alerts. Local stations such as WLRN in Miami and KQED in the San Francisco Bay Area reported that they could lose up to 8% of their budgets, potentially leading to layoffs and service reductions.
The Senate version of the bill includes a $400 million restoration to global HIV/AIDS prevention programs under PEPFAR, a change that the House must now approve. President Trump’s Office of Management and Budget signaled additional rescission proposals may follow, framing this bill as a key test of Republican fiscal discipline.
The House must finalize the vote by Friday night. If the bill is not passed and signed by President Trump before the deadline, the targeted funds will be automatically released.
