The U.S. Senate has approved a White House request to cancel $9.4 billion in federal spending, with cuts aimed at foreign aid and funding for public broadcasters NPR and PBS.
In a narrow 51–48 vote late Wednesday, July 16, the Senate passed the bill, which now heads to the House of Representatives. According to CNN, the House is expected to give its final approval by July 18.
If passed, the bill will move to President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature.
The proposal was first submitted to Congress in early June by the administration, with House Speaker Mike Johnson describing the targeted funds as “wasteful.” The Department of Government Efficiency backed the plan, citing fiscal responsibility.
In a related development, President Trump signed an executive order in May to suspend federal funding for NPR and PBS, accusing the networks of “biased reporting.”
That decision sparked legal challenges. On May 27, NPR and several radio stations in Colorado filed a lawsuit against the administration, arguing that the funding freeze amounted to an attack on press freedom.
