BREAKING: Senate Clears Key Hurdle to Pass First Round of DOGE Cuts

The Senate voted late Tuesday to advance a rescissions package codifying more than $9 billion in cuts recommended by the Department of Government Efficiency. Following a vote-a-rama Wednesday afternoon, the measure is expected to pass the Senate before heading to the White House for Trump’s signature.

The bill eliminates $8 billion from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and $1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which provides funding for NPR and PBS. A rescissions package is a bill that allows the federal government to block funding that Congress has already allocated. The House and Senate can pass the bill with a simple majority vote.

Critically, however, Congress has a limited window to act to rescind funds after they have been allocated. In this case, the deadline was July 18. After some concern that the Senate would not pass the package in time, it now appears on track to make it to Trump’s desk with just hours to spare.

Missouri Senator Eric Schmidt explained in a post on X how the rescissions package plays an important role in ensuring no more tax dollars are used to fund left-wing media.

“A veteran NPR editor took a survey of its editorial staff,” Schmidt said. “The final tally: 87 Democrats. 0 Republicans. Zero Republicans. Not one. Why are our tax dollars funding left-wing propaganda?”

The package also cuts funding for foreign aid programs, a top priority for Republicans given the fact that the country is $37 trillion in debt and faces a host of issues at home that are a better use of taxpayer dollars.

Republicans voted to advance the bill 51-50, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote in favor. Senators Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Mitch McConnell were the only three Republicans who voted against the bill.

The chamber then proceeded with another identical vote to move the bill forward. This vote triggers up to 10 hours of debate and a later vote on amendments. Senators can introduce an unlimited amount of amendments in a process known as a “vote-a-rama.” Opposition parties typically use this process as a stalling tactic.

After this process is complete, the Senate can vote on a final passage. The House would then need to also pass the bill. Congress has a deadline of midnight on Friday to pass the legislation and send it to President Donald Trump’s desk.

Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn posted on X that the bill is an important first step in clawing back wasteful spending.

“This rescissions package will save the American taxpayers $9 billion,” she said. “With the national debt at unsustainable levels, it is essential to eliminate obvious waste that does not serve or benefit the American people.”

The bill was slightly larger at $9.4 billion before the Senate trimmed it down. Senate Republicans were struggling to reach the necessary votes to pass the bill and agreed to remove some cuts from the package. The legislation originally included $400 million in cuts to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a George W. Bush-era program for global AIDS and HIV prevention. This cut was eliminated to reach the necessary votes for passage.

The rescissions package still includes a majority of the cuts from the original legislation now totaling about $9.2 billion. These cuts include funding provided to CPB through fiscal year 2027, $125 million for the “Clean Technology Fund,” $800 million for “Migration and Refugee Assistance,” and hundreds of millions of dollars for “International Peacekeeping Activities.”

The Trump administration has promised more rescissions packages in the months ahead once Congress passes this first bill.

Alan Jamison is the pen name of a political writer with extensive experience writing for several notable politicians and news outlets.