9 hours agoTrump's plan to cut American aid to the world receives final approval
Periskopi(a year ago)
(a year ago)The House of Representatives has finally approved President Donald Trump's request to withdraw about $9 billion from funds for American aid to the world and public broadcasters. The package for financial cuts passed by 216 votes for and 213 against, and will now be sent to President Trump to go [...]
The package for financial cuts passed with 216 votes for and 213 against, and will now be sent to President Trump to sign in the law.
Voting at the House of Representatives came after the package was changed this week by the Senate to exclude cuts of around $400 million for the global anti-war programme. HIV/ AIDS, PPFAR.
This was the first time in decades that a president has successfully managed to submit a request for an annulment of funds, and the White House implied it would not be the last.
Some Republicans were concerned about the cuts, but they supported them, unwilling to anger the Trumps or oppose his agenda.
We have to go back to the fiscal sense and this is an important step”, said House of Representatives Chairman Mike Johnson, R-La.
Opposers expressed concern not only about the affected programmes but also about the fact that Congress was handing over its competencies to the executive branch spending, as two-party investments were later cancelled by party-lined votes.
They said earlier attempts to annul had had at least had two-party partial support and described the republican package as unprecedented.
No democrat supported the package when it passed to the Senate by 51 votes and 48 against, in the early hours Thursday.
The package cancels some $1.1 billion for the Public Broadcasting Corporation and nearly $8 billion for a series of aid programmes abroad, many of which aim to help countries facing drought, disease and political instability.
The world's U.S. aid cuts include 800 million dollars for a program that provides emergency housing, water, and reunification of refugee families, $496 million in food, water, and health care for countries hit by natural disasters and conflicts.
It also includes a $4.15 billion cut for programmes aimed at strengthening economies and democratic institutions in developing countries.
The White House argued that many of these cuts would encourage other countries to take on more responsibility in dealing with humanitarian crises and that cancelling funds serves American taxpayers best. / REL
