Congress is on the verge of passing spending cuts that have lawmakers divided on their priorities that could include federal funding for public broadcasting.

Washington

Congress is considering a package of federal spending cuts that has divided lawmakers, particularly over reductions to international aid programs and funding for public broadcasting. The proposed cuts, which amount to a small fraction of the federal budget, advanced in the Senate after Vice President J.D. Vance cast a tie-breaking vote. While cuts to the PEPFAR program for HIV and AIDS were ultimately removed to secure support, debate continues over the impact of reducing funds for organizations like National Public Radio. The measure must still pass the House before it can be signed into law.

Federal spending cuts debated in Congress

National News here this morning Congress is now on the verge of passing new spending cuts that have some lawmakers divided. The Trump administration is hoping to claw back money from international aid programs and public broadcasting. Doug Luzada joining us live now from Washington with all the latest on these developments. Good morning Doug. Good morning. These cuts represent just a tiny fraction of the reductions that the Department of Government Efficiency had promised and even this has been a tough fight here on Capitol Hill. The yeas are 50 and the nays are 50. The Senate being equally divided the vice president votes in the affirmative and the motion is agreed to. It took the tie-breaking vote of Vice President J.D. Vance to move it along but Senate Republicans crossed some big hurdles last night. On the chopping block federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting as well as foreign aid programs totaling about nine billion dollars. This bill that is inspiring such hysteria in Democrats would cut just one-tenth of one percent or one one thousandth of the federal budget. The cuts known as a rescissions package are just a small part of the reductions recommended by the Department of Government Efficiency and by targeting federal funding for organizations like National Public Radio Democrats say Republicans are playing politics. Come on you defund an agency because you disagree with their editorial choices? Which country is this? GOP leaders ultimately removed cuts for PEPFAR the 20 year old program to fight HIV and AIDS around the globe. That helped win over some Republicans but others worried about the impact the public radio cuts could have on local stations. But others in the GOP say if these small cuts can't get through what can? This is a baby step. We could see a final vote on this today in the Senate. The House would then have to sign off on it by Friday to get this to the president's desk in time. Back to you guys. All right Doug Luzzator live from Washington this morning. Thank you Doug.

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