WASHINGTON — The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives on Saturday approved legislation rescinding billions of dollars in previously approved federal spending, including funding for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), marking a victory for Republican leaders who argued the measure would reduce government spending and refocus federal priorities.
The package, backed by most House Republicans and opposed by nearly all Democrats, targets foreign assistance programs administered through USAID as well as funding for public broadcasting. Republican leaders said the measure responds to a request from President Donald Trump's administration to cancel spending that lawmakers had approved in earlier appropriations bills.
Supporters of the legislation said the rescissions would eliminate what they described as unnecessary or lower-priority spending while helping address federal deficits. Republican leaders argued Congress was exercising its authority to withdraw funding that had not yet been spent, characterizing the package as part of a broader effort to curb government expenditures.
Democrats criticized the measure, saying the cuts would weaken U.S. diplomacy and humanitarian assistance overseas while reducing support for public broadcasting services. They also argued that approving presidential rescission requests could diminish Congress's traditional role in determining federal spending priorities.
The legislation follows months of debate over the administration's efforts to reduce foreign aid programs and reshape federal spending. USAID has been a frequent target of Republican criticism, with conservatives arguing that portions of its budget do not align with U.S. national interests. Democratic lawmakers and aid organizations have countered that the agency's programs advance U.S. foreign policy objectives, respond to humanitarian crises and strengthen global health and development initiatives.
Congressional consideration of the measure also reflected broader disagreements over fiscal policy as Republicans continued to pursue spending reductions while advancing other legislative priorities. The vote underscored the sharp partisan divide over the appropriate balance between deficit reduction and federal investment in international assistance programs.
With House approval secured, the legislation completed congressional action and was sent to President Trump for his signature, the latest confirmed step in the administration's effort to roll back previously enacted spending.
