US President, Donald Trump
U.S. Senate voted 51-48 late Wednesday to approve a White House proposal to eliminate $9.4 billion in federal funding for foreign aid and public broadcasters NPR and PBS, according to CNN.
The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, where final approval is anticipated by July 18, 2025. If passed, the legislation will be sent to President Donald Trump for his signature.
In June 2025, House Speaker Mike Johnson revealed that the White House had requested Congress to rescind $9.4 billion in previously authorized spending, which the Department of Government Efficiency labeled as “wasteful.”
The decision follows President Trump’s executive order in May 2025 to defund NPR and PBS, citing “biased news reporting.”
In response, NPR, joined by several Colorado radio stations, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on May 27, 2025, alleging an attack on press freedom.
“The Senate’s approval moves us closer to redirecting these funds away from what the administration considers inefficient spending,” a White House spokesperson stated.
Meanwhile, NPR’s legal team argued, “This defunding effort threatens the core of independent journalism and public access to information.”
The House’s upcoming vote will determine the final outcome of this controversial measure.
