VP Vance Breaks Tie as Senate Advances $9.4 Billion Cuts to Foreign Aid, Public Broadcasting

Washington D.C. – A contentious $9.4 billion federal spending cuts package advanced in the U.S. Senate today, following a critical tie-breaking vote cast by Vice President JD Vance. The measure, which seeks to rescind previously appropriated funds for foreign aid and public broadcasting, saw three Republican senators join Democrats in opposition during procedural votes.

The rescissions package, a key initiative of the Trump administration, targets $8.3 billion from foreign aid programs, including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which funds NPR and PBS. This move formalizes recommendations from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an advisory entity that was previously led by Elon Musk.

Opponents of the cuts, including Republican Senators Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, voiced significant concerns. Senator Murkowski highlighted the vital role of public broadcasting in providing news and emergency alerts, especially in rural areas like her home state. Senator Collins specifically questioned the impact on global health initiatives, such as the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), stating, "I can't imagine why we would want to terminate that program."

The administration and its supporters argue the cuts are essential for fiscal discipline and align with an "America First" agenda, redirecting taxpayer dollars from what they deem wasteful spending. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a recent online post, asserted that USAID had "strayed from its original mission" and that future global aid would be administered by the State Department.

However, former USAID officials have heavily criticized the dismantling of the agency, with some calling it an "abomination" and a "train wreck." They warn that the cuts could lead to millions of preventable deaths globally, particularly impacting food security and humanitarian efforts, and question the State Department's capacity to manage such complex programs. The House of Representatives narrowly passed the package last month, and the Senate now faces a July 18 deadline to approve the measure, which requires only a simple majority.