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The Senate could take its first steps Tuesday toward approving a $9.4 billion rescissions package pushed by President Donald Trump and already passed by the House, as a Friday deadline looms and divisions among Republicans threaten to derail the effort.
The package would cancel previously approved federal spending, including $8.3 billion for foreign aid programs and $1.1 billion for public broadcasting, fulfilling longstanding Trump promises to cut USAID, NPR, and PBS funding.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said procedural votes could begin Tuesday, but acknowledged continued conversations with GOP senators resistant to eliminating all of the targeted funding.
“We’re trying to thread the needle here,” Thune said Monday, pointing to negotiations with holdout Republicans like Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), who reversed course Tuesday and said he would support the bill after securing continued funding for tribal broadcast services.
What’s In the Rescissions Package?
The White House-requested cuts would lock in reductions previously proposed by the Department of Government Efficiency, targeting:
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USAID programs, including peacekeeping, refugee aid, and climate projects
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PEPFAR, the HIV/AIDS prevention program launched under President George W. Bush
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The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which supports NPR, PBS, and local stations
OMB Director Russell Vought testified in June that no one currently receiving lifesaving HIV treatment would lose access, but Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, wasn’t convinced.
“You’re eliminating a lot of the prevention programs,” Collins said. “This isn’t just humanitarian — it’s strategic. These programs save lives and strengthen our soft power abroad.”
GOP Fractures Over Foreign Aid and Broadcasting Cuts
The rescissions effort has split Senate Republicans, with collateral concerns including:
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PEPFAR cuts, which Collins and others oppose
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Public broadcasting cuts, which Rounds and rural-state senators fear could cripple emergency communication networks
But Trump’s message has been clear. In a Truth Social post last week, the president declared the package “very important”, and warned that any Republican who doesn’t support it “will not have my support or Endorsement.”
“Cutting woke propaganda from NPR and PBS is just the beginning,” Trump wrote.
That pressure appears to have worked on some. Rounds, who had previously hesitated, said Tuesday he worked with OMB to find “Green New Deal money” that could be reallocated to preserve critical tribal radio services.
Democratic Opposition and Bipartisan Fallout
Democrats are largely powerless to block the package, which needs only a simple majority to pass in the Senate due to special budget rules. But they warn that this Republican maneuver could poison the well for future bipartisan negotiations.
“This would be an affront to the bipartisan appropriations process,” warned Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) in a letter to colleagues.
Schumer called the GOP effort “absurd,” accusing Republicans of trying to tear up deals negotiated in committee with a partisan rubber stamp for Trump’s agenda.
Senate Democrats say the move could jeopardize cooperation on the next government funding bill, potentially inching the country closer to another government shutdown this fall.
“We’re doing everything we can to keep the bipartisan process going,” Schumer said. “They’re the ones undermining it with rescissions.”
Thune, however, rejected the suggestion and expressed hope that the parties can still find common ground.
What Happens Next?
If amendments are added, the package would need to return to the House, potentially missing Friday’s deadline. That means Senate leaders are under pressure to pass the current House version.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) signaled he wants the Senate to do just that.
“You’ve got to respect the White House’s request — and that’s what we did,” Johnson said Monday.
Bottom Line: The rescissions package vote could become a defining moment for Trump’s influence on fiscal policy, foreign aid, and media funding. With internal GOP resistance and Democratic frustration mounting, all eyes are on whether Senate Republicans can hold the line — and at what political cost.
