Trump’s Withdrawal Package Moves Forward
President Donald Trump’s recent withdrawal package has formally put into place some cuts proposed by the government’s Office of Efficiency, gaining traction among Alabama’s Republican House members on Friday.
Earlier this month, Trump requested Congress to reduce approved spending by $9.4 million. The package encompasses cuts to public broadcasting and foreign aid, making its way through the House with a narrow vote of 214-212. All but four House Republicans were in favor, while Democrats uniformly opposed it.
Representative Dale Strong (R-Huntsville), known for his support of NPR funding cuts, expressed his approval of the bill.
I voted to cancel 9.4b of wasted government spending, including more than 1b of CPB funding NPR. NPR lost track of its original mission to provide balanced educational programming. Today, it’s just a taxpayer-funded mouthpiece for…
– Dale W. Strong (@Repdalestrong) June 12, 2025
Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) proudly stated his support, saying he felt it was important to back Trump’s initiative.
We are proud to stand up to President Trump and support his retirement package to save Americans $9.4 billion! https://t.co/kwtpodotvn
– Rep. Barry Moore (@Repbarrymoore) June 12, 2025
Meanwhile, Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) justified his vote by emphasizing the need to eliminate wasteful spending within the government.
I voted in favor of the 2025 Resignation Act. The taxes for hardworking Americans should not be directed towards transgender services in Nepal, LGBTQI+ programs in Iraxessami Street, or resources to teach young children how to make something environmentally friendly…
– Gary Palmer (@usrepgarypalmer) June 12, 2025
Despite the support from the GOP, Democratic representatives raised concerns about the impact of healthcare cuts, stating that many Alabamians would be affected. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham) pointed out that cuts to healthcare and food aid seemed insufficient to satisfy Republican demands.
Apparently, significant cuts in health care and food aid for Republicans were not sufficient. They simply passed Trump’s bill to refund PBS and NPR. They go on after our children, journalism, local sports coverage, and even educational programming for emergency alerts.
– Rep. Terri A. Sewell (@Repterrisewell) June 12, 2025
The package also proposes an $8.3 billion reduction from the State Department and the International Development Agency. It is now heading to the Senate for final approval.
