Daijiworld Media Network- Washington

Washington, Jun 13: In a dramatic turn of fiscal events, US lawmakers on Thursday approved a controversial $9.4 billion rollback from funds already allocated by Congress — a key win for President Donald Trump and tech mogul Elon Musk, whose cost-cutting drive has stirred sharp reactions across political lines.

The move, seen as the first legislative test of the cuts recommended by Musk’s now-defunct Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), passed the Republican-controlled House of Representatives by a narrow 214-212 margin. The package notably targets public broadcasting and foreign aid — areas long on the radar of conservative leaders.

"Under President Trump's leadership, your taxpayer dollars are no longer being wasted," declared House Speaker Mike Johnson, celebrating the rescissions package as a step toward restoring fiscal discipline. "Instead, they are being directed toward priorities that truly benefit the American people."

The approved legislation marks a rare instance of Congress successfully implementing a "rescissions package" — a tool seldom used in recent decades to reverse previously approved spending.

The largest cut — $8.3 billion — comes from foreign aid, much of it earmarked for humanitarian initiatives under USAID, which had become a primary target during DOGE’s short tenure. A further $400 million is being rescinded from health programmes, including PEPFAR — the global AIDS relief initiative launched by former president George W. Bush.

Also in the crosshairs is public broadcasting. The bill eliminates $1.1 billion in funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which supports NPR, PBS, and over 1,500 local stations. Critics argue the move threatens vital media access, especially in rural America.

“For decades, Republicans have promised to cut NPR, but have never done it — until now,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “NPR and PBS are a Radical Left Disaster, and 1000% against the Republican Party!”

However, bipartisan concerns were voiced. Democrat Dan Goldman and Republican Mark Amodei — co-chairs of the Congressional Public Broadcasting Caucus — warned that the cuts would not significantly ease the deficit, but would dismantle a "trusted source of information for millions of Americans."

The push for spending cuts had been spearheaded by Elon Musk after his high-profile appointment by President Trump. Musk claimed his efforts could save the federal government $2 trillion. However, following a reported fallout with Trump and scrutiny over the accuracy of DOGE’s accounting, the billionaire stepped down earlier this month. DOGE claims to have saved $180 billion, though independent fact-checkers have cast doubts over that figure.

With the bill having cleared the House, attention now shifts to the Senate, where only a simple majority of 51 votes is required for it to pass — a lower threshold than the 60-vote norm.
As the nation watches, debates over priorities, accountability, and the role of federal spending continue to unfold in Washington — now with a Musk-shaped imprint on American fiscal policy.