What's in the GOP bill to cut $9 billion from NPR and foreign aid?

WASHINGTON - A month after Elon Musk left the Department of Government Efficiency, the Republican-led congress is working to test how popular the cuts are, by canceling over $9 billion already earmarked for public broadcasting and foreign aid spending.

The Trump Administration is employing a rarely-used tool that allows the president transmit a request to cancel previously-approved funding. Trump asked the Republican legislature to claw back $9.4 billion in already approved spending. Democrats are trying to kill the measure but need some Republicans uncomfortable with the president’s effort to join them.

The Senate approved the vast majority of Trump's request in the early morning hours Thursday, 51-48. Another House vote is needed because senators changed the legislation. The House passed an earlier version of the bill on a mostly party-line vote.

Public broadcasting cuts

Trump asked lawmakers to rescind almost $1.1 billion from  the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which represents the full amount it’s due to receive during the next two budget years. CPB provides grants to local radio and television stations across the country, including PBS and NPR.

Roughly 70% of the money goes to more than 1,500 TV and radio stations. The remainder is assigned to NPR and PBS to support national programming.

The White House says the public media system is politically biased and an unnecessary expense.

The potential fallout from the cuts for local pubic media stations has generated concerns on both sides of the political aisle.

South Dakota Republican Sen. Mike Rounds said he secured a deal from the White House that some funding administered by the Interior Department would be repurposed to subsidize Native American public radio stations in about a dozen states.

What they're saying:

The Trump administration and lawmakers claim the program's funding is wasteful, citing programming aimed at fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought said NPR aired a show in 2022 called "What ‘Queer Ducks’ can teach teenagers about sexuality in the animal kingdom."

He also cited the 2020 town hall that CNN held with "Sesame Street" about fighting racism.

The other side:

Many lawmakers say that won't help a large number of local broadcasting stations. Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin fought to take out the broadcasting cuts.

"If we don’t adopt this amendment, local television and radio stations will shut down and it will be rural stations that will be the first to close," Baldwin said.

Foreign Aid support

The public broadcasting cuts account for just over $1 billion. The other $7.9 billion all comes from foreign aid programs that fight famine and disease and promote global stability.

The cuts had originally been $8.3 billion but a Senate amendment agreed to remove what would have been a $400 million cut to PEPFAR, the politically popular program that began under President George W. Bush to combat HIV/AIDS. The program is credited with saving millions of lives.

What's cut:

Among the aid that will be cut:

• $500 million of the $4 billion appropriated for global health programs to combat infectious diseases and promote maternal health.
• $800 million for a program that provides emergency shelter, water and sanitation and family reunification for those forced to flee their own country.
• $4.15 billion for two programs designed to boost the economies and democratic institutions in developing and strategically important countries.
• $496 million to provide humanitarian assistance such as food, water and health care for countries hit by natural disasters and conflicts.
• $361 million for international peacekeeping efforts, which are designed to stabilize conflict zones and protect civilians.

The Trump administration also said some cuts, such as eliminating funding for UNICEF, would encourage international organizations to be more efficient and seek contributions from other nations, "putting American taxpayers first."