House Republicans voted Thursday to approve a sweeping package aimed at trimming the federal fat identified by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
The bill—crafted under the guidance of the newly empowered DOGE—slashes $9.4 billion in spending, including massive cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funnels taxpayer money to progressive media outlets like NPR and PBS.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) celebrated the hard-won passage, calling it a “critical step” toward smarter governance.
“Today’s House passage of this initial rescissions package marks a critical step toward a more responsible and transparent government that puts the interests of the American taxpayers first,” Johnson said after the vote.
“It is just one of the ways Republicans are codifying DOGE’s findings and putting taxpayer dollars to better use.”
Though moderate Republicans expressed hesitations about the cuts—especially regarding Bush-era programs like PEPFAR—only four GOP lawmakers broke ranks. The slim majority was enough to overcome total Democrat opposition and send the legislation to the Senate.
The path forward in the Senate remains uncertain.
Some Republicans there have voiced concern over portions of the bill, such as reductions to public broadcasting funds. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said the package likely won’t receive a vote until July, after the Senate finalizes the GOP’s “big, beautiful bill” of tax reform and spending priorities.
PBS, NPR Cry Foul Over Cuts to Taxpayer Subsidies
The plan proposes rescinding $535 million in federal funding to public broadcasting in fiscal years 2026 and 2027. Predictably, PBS and NPR executives voiced outrage over the vote.
PBS President Paula Kerger warned, “If these cuts are finalized by the Senate, it will have a devastating impact on PBS and local member stations, particularly smaller and rural stations that rely on federal funding for a larger portion of their budgets.”
But conservative lawmakers argue it’s time for public media to rely on private fundraising instead of taxpayer handouts. Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.) acknowledged rural concerns but emphasized that 70% of funding already flows to local stations—and many could raise outside funds to stay afloat.
What an absolute JOKE !!! $9.4 billion out of the hundreds of billions DOGE found to be waste and fraud and they come up with about 20 minutes worth of government spending. This is why Congress needs to be threatened; either you vote to cancel the hundreds of billions of exposed fraudulent expenditures or you get primaried next election and your failures to do your jobs gets plastered all over the campaign trail. This is outrageous. Let’s remember who controls the House and Senate……..Republicans. and as per usual they immediately start acting like demonRATS. This isn’t the first time they have betrayed the American taxpayers either. Write, call or email your Reps and let them know you will do your best to un-elect them next time around. THIS IS ENOUGH OF THEIR NONSENSE. Every day the DOGE team found tens of billions in waste. and this is what they decide to actually make permanent ???
Damn DC Deep State blocked DOGE day 1
Love to see DOGE do more
Who were the Turncoat RINO Traitors that voted against the measure. We all know that all the dumbocraps voted against it. They had to or be forced of the undemocratic party.