Senate Approves Trump’s $9 Billion Rescue Package
Early Thursday morning, the Senate gave a significant nod to President Donald Trump’s $9 billion rescue proposal. The vote was close, with a tally of 51 to 48, sending the package to the House for further consideration. Notably, Republican Senators Susan Collins from Maine and Lisa Murkowski from Alaska—often seen as dissenters against the president’s agenda—cast votes against the plan.
Democrats in the Senate declined to support the measure, which initially recognized $9 billion earmarked for public broadcasting nonprofits that also aid NPR and PBS. Senator Tina Smith, a Democrat from Minnesota, did not participate in the vote after being hospitalized due to fatigue.
With a deadline looming on July 18, GOP leaders in Congress are racing to send rescue packages to the president. House Speaker Mike Johnson will need to either deliver a clawback request by Friday or risk the administration’s obligation to disburse the full $9 billion.
The Senate GOP leadership has taken an opposing stance to their Democratic colleagues, particularly criticizing funding cuts that, according to Republicans, are laden with potential for waste and abuse. “Millions for the Green New Deal overseas,” Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso stated on the Senate floor, adding that it prioritizes foreign spending over American needs.
Barrasso continued by pointing out that funding for initiatives like vegan food projects in Africa or social media guidance in Europe detracts from the financial savings that Americans expect. He emphasized that these allocations are not what voters endorsed.
The passing of this retirement bill has been hailed as a significant milestone for Senate Majority Leader John Toon. He managed to garner enough votes to advance a spending cut package, standing strong despite uncertainty from some Republican senators. The last successful retirement bill in Congress dates back to 1999 under President Bill Clinton.
Collins, who previously played a role in blocking Trump’s first-term retirement package, indicated that specifics about the programs affected by the proposed cuts remain unclear. She expressed concern over a $2.5 billion reduction in development support accounts covering various essential areas, including education and food security.
Murkowski also expressed her opposition to the retirement bill, arguing that the clawback request undermines Congress’s authority over budgetary allocations. She voiced her discontent regarding the proposed cuts to public broadcasting and emphasized a need for Congress to uphold its spending processes.
“What we’re receiving now is direction from the White House,” Murkowski stated. “I won’t go along with that.”
While Alaska Republicans were crucial in securing the president’s legislative goals, Murkowski described the negotiations as “painful.” The retirement package aims to reduce just 0.1% of the federal budget, which hovers around $7 trillion, and is a small fragment of the proposed $175 billion in savings identified by Trump’s administration.
Initially, the retirement proposal sought to retract $9.4 billion, but it was amended to eliminate a $400 million cut aimed at Global AIDS relief, thereby preserving funds for critical health initiatives. This adjustment received support from the White House, aiming to placate GOP senators in favor of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program.
The passage of this retirement bill follows Congressional Republicans’ efforts to enact a $1.6 trillion cut related to sweeping tax relief, alongside forced spending on immigration law changes signed by Trump on July 4. The implications of this legislation could lead to a projected increase in the budget deficit exceeding $3 trillion over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office. However, Republican lawmakers maintain that this budget analysis does not accurately reflect the situation.
