The U.S. Senate has officially passed President Donald Trump’s rescissions package in a tight 51–48 vote early Thursday morning, delivering a major legislative win for fiscal conservatives and marking a potential end to federal funding for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
The $9 billion rollback includes sweeping cuts to foreign aid and global health initiatives but most notably eliminates taxpayer support for NPR and PBS — long criticized by Republicans for left-leaning bias under the guise of public service broadcasting.
Passed, 51-48: Passage of Cal. #114, H.R.4, Rescissions Act of 2025, as amended.
— Senate Cloakroom (@SenateCloakroom) July 17, 2025
“We, the taxpayers, are one giant step closer to ending the subsidization of outlets that openly despise us and this country,” a senior GOP aide told Dutch. “They won’t disappear — but now they’ll have to survive like everyone else in the marketplace. Sink or swim.”
Despite internal GOP tensions — including objections over White House transparency — the package moved forward with only two Republicans voting “no”: Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME). Democratic Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) was absent due to a medical emergency.
🚨BREAKING: The US Senate just passed President Trump’s $9 Billion Rescissions Package. Big win for taxpayers!
Proud to have lead the effort and grateful to my Republican colleagues for getting this done.🇺🇸
— Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) July 17, 2025
Because the Senate made modifications during its overnight vote-a-rama, the bill must now return to the House for final approval. A vote is expected later Thursday. President Trump must sign the rescissions bill by Friday, July 18, or else the funds in question will be automatically released, as previously authorized by Congress.
Among the programs affected are billions earmarked for foreign health and disaster relief, migration services, and public broadcasting operations. Trump and his allies argue these cuts represent long-overdue discipline in Washington spending and a realignment of priorities toward domestic taxpayers.
🚨 BREAKING: The Senate has PASSED the Trump-backed Rescissions Act in a 51-48 vote. pic.twitter.com/docWQVuv4v
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) July 17, 2025
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) praised the passage as a “bold but necessary step toward restoring fiscal sanity.”
If finalized by the House and signed by the president on time, the bill will mark a significant rollback of entrenched federal subsidies and a clear policy statement: publicly funded media and unaccountable global programs will no longer enjoy blank-check status from American taxpayers.
The Senate just officially voted to:
• END taxpayer funding for NPR & PBS
• Slash BILLIONS of dollars in funding for radical leftist foreign aid programs and NGOs
Huge win for America First. 🇺🇸
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 17, 2025
