US House Republicans pass Trump plan to cut foreign aid, public broadcasting

Reuters. The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives early on Friday (July 18) passed President Donald Trump’s $9 billion funding cut to public media and foreign aid, sending it to the White House to be signed into law.

The chamber voted 216 to 213 in favor of the funding cut package, altered by the Senate this week to exclude cuts of about $400 million in funds for the global PEPFAR HIV/AIDS prevention program.

Republicans say the foreign aid funds previously went to programs they deem wasteful, and they say the $1 billion in public media funding supports radio stations and PBS television that are biased against conservative viewpoints.

Only two House Republicans voted against the cut, Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania and Mike Turner from Ohio, along with Democrats.