House Republicans Pass $9 Billion Rescission Package Targeting Globalist Projects
In a dramatic move that has sent ripples through Washington, House Republicans successfully passed a substantial $9 billion rescission package late Thursday, effectively delivering a decisive blow to what they deem “globalist pet projects” and left-leaning media outlets like NPR and PBS.
The vote concluded with a narrow margin of 216–213, with only two Republicans—Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick and Mike Turner— defying party lines to join Democrats in opposition.
“President Trump and House Republicans pledged to uphold fiscal responsibility and enhance government efficiency. Today’s actions reaffirm that commitment,” proclaimed House Speaker Mike Johnson on X. He emphasized that “this package eliminates $9 billion in unnecessary and wasteful spending at the State Department, USAID, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The American people will no longer be compelled to finance politically biased media and over $8 billion in excessive overseas expenditures.”
Johnson further asserted, “While Republicans strive to ensure accountability and fiscal discipline, Democrats continue to defend systems rife with waste, fraud, and abuse. This is just the beginning; we anticipate passing further rescissions bills throughout the 119th Congress.”
President Trump and House Republicans promised fiscal responsibility and government efficiency. Today, we’re once again delivering on that promise.
This package eliminates $9 billion in unnecessary and wasteful spending at the State Department, USAID, and the Corporation for… pic.twitter.com/kEDEwKfQTd
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) July 18, 2025
Rep. Eli Crane also weighed in, stating, “Tonight, the House passed a rescissions bill aimed at slashing funding for USAID, NPR, and PBS. However, let’s not allow Congress to bask in the glory of this achievement; it should serve merely as the first of many steps. We must continue advocating for deeper cuts to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse across the board.”
Tonight, the House passed a rescissions bill to cut funding from USAID, NPR, and PBS.
Don’t let Congress take any victory laps though. This needs to be the first of many.
Keep pressing for deeper cuts to waste, fraud, and abuse across the board. pic.twitter.com/zqJvMOiaqD
— Rep. Eli Crane (@RepEliCrane) July 18, 2025
Earlier in the week, the Republican-led Senate narrowly approved a sweeping rescission bill endorsed by Trump, marking a significant shift in fiscal policy. The bill, which cuts nearly $9 billion from previously earmarked federal spending, including the complete defunding of PBS and NPR along with significant reductions in U.S. foreign aid, passed with a razor-thin margin of 51–48.
In this late-night vote-a-rama, only two GOP senators—Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)—joined the Democrats in an effort to block these cuts. Notably absent was Democratic Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN), who was reportedly in the hospital “out of an abundance of caution.”
This legislative action marks the first time in over 25 years that a president has utilized rescission authority to retract previously approved federal funds—a rare and somewhat rusty mechanism in the gears of Washington.
According to Politico, the House’s 216-213 vote followed just 24 hours after the Senate made amendments to the administration’s original proposal, which would have included an additional $400 million cut from the global AIDS fighting initiative, PEPFAR. Senate Republicans also assured that certain food assistance programs would remain intact, protecting essential services related to food aid, maternal health, and malaria and tuberculosis initiatives.
“This bill is part of a broader effort to bring spending under control. Does it resolve all our issues? Certainly not. But cutting $9 billion is a commendable start,” stated House Majority Leader Steve Scalise.
While two House Republicans, Mike Turner and Brian Fitzpatrick, voted against the measure for the second time, others like Nicole Malliotakis of New York and Mark Amodei of Nevada switched to support the bill, encouraged by the Senate’s decision to protect AIDS-prevention funding.
Notably, the package was propelled through the House using a fast-track process that circumvented a direct vote on the bill itself, allowing for a procedural measure to facilitate swift passage. This urgency was crucial, as the bill needed to reach Trump’s desk by Friday night to prevent the rescissions request from expiring, which would have compelled the administration to allocate the funds as Congress originally intended.
This successful rescission is the first of its kind in over three decades, and it is already stirring complications for the annual appropriations process, with just ten weeks remaining until the September 30 deadline to secure a funding agreement or face a government shutdown.
