In a huge win for President Donald Trump, the House narrowly passed a $9 billion rescission bill late Thursday night, slashing federal funding for global handouts and biased media outlets like PBS and NPR.
The bill passed 216–213 with two Republicans voting no, according to ABC News. It now heads to Trump’s desk for final approval.
Democrats Fail to Block the Bill
Democrats were caught flat-footed.
Despite pressure from their base, they failed to stall or slow the vote ahead of the Friday deadline.
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke for just 15 minutes.
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No meaningful delay tactics were attempted.
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They focused instead on doomed efforts to release Jeffrey Epstein documents.
Rep. Josh Riley of New York pushed for a delay—but was ignored. Others, like Pramila Jayapal, admitted a stall would have been “messy.”
Rep. Maxwell Frost warned Axios, “It’s a puzzle being built — you’ve got to stop every piece.”
Trump’s Plan: Cut the Waste
The bill follows Trump’s request to slash bloated government spending, building on a $9.4 billion cut drafted by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
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Public broadcasting was defunded.
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Billions in foreign aid were eliminated.
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Trump has promised this is just the beginning.
Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed it.
“This isn’t the end; it’s the beginning,” Johnson said.
Senate Voted First
The Senate passed the bill 51–48 Wednesday night after a late voting marathon.
Two Republicans, Susan Collins (ME) and Lisa Murkowski (AK), sided with Democrats.
VP J.D. Vance cast the tie-breaking vote in committee earlier in the week to move the bill forward.
Mitch McConnell also voted against advancing the measure.
Only Two GOP Defectors
In the House, Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA) and Mike Turner (OH) were the only Republicans to vote no.
Next: Signature from Trump
With final approval from both chambers, the bill now heads to President Trump, who is expected to sign it into law immediately.