- The U.S. House passed President Donald Trump's proposal to cut $9.4 billion in foreign aid and public broadcasting.
- The bill passed 214-212, with Utah's representatives supporting the measure.
- Rep. Blake Moore emphasized reducing federal debt.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday narrowly passed President Donald Trump's request to slash $9.4 billion in spending on foreign aid and public broadcasting, sending the package for consideration by the Senate.
The measure passed the House, where Trump's Republicans hold a slim majority and have shown little appetite for opposing his initiatives, by 214-212. All four of Utah's representatives joined with all but four Republicans in voting for the bill.
"This $9.4 billion rescissions package is a step in the right direction in reducing our crippling federal debt issues and ensuring the American Dream stays within reach for the next generation," Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, told KSL.com. "If we keep running $2 trillion annual deficits for the next decade, our Treasury bonds will become worthless, and it will be impossible to protect any federal programs in the long haul."
The package would also cut more than $8 million to the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, but Moore said he was pleased the bill "maintains lifesaving aid provisions" and other aid programs.
"This effort is critical to scaling back our bloated federal spending," he said of the bill.
Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah, celebrated the passage of the act, saying: "Americans will no longer be forced to bankroll foreign climate schemes, (diversity, equity and inclusion) propaganda or partisan media with their hard-earned tax dollars."
It was a victory for Trump, who had lobbied for the measure, including in a post on his Truth Social media site just before the vote. He referred to foreign aid as wasteful and called National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service a "radical left disaster."
If the Senate approves the bill and it becomes law, the "rescissions" memo requesting the elimination of $9.4 billion in spending already approved by lawmakers would make permanent some of the cuts put in place by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
It will also limit the risk to Trump's administration that courts would find that he cannot legally circumvent the constitutional requirement that Congress, not the president, sets federal spending.
Utah Sen. Mike Lee took to his personal X account to encourage senators to back the proposal.
"Tell your senators: Pass the @DOGE rescission package now," Lee said.
Contributing: Bridger Beal-Cvetko
