The Senate has approved the Rescissions Act of 2025, a legislative package aimed at cutting $9 billion in government spending. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released a statement following the bill’s passage, highlighting concerns about the rising national debt and what she described as unnecessary expenditures.
“The American people gave us a mandate to stop reckless spending and get our national debt under control,” said Senator Blackburn. “For years, American taxpayers have been bankrolling biased public media, foreign spending that undermines our values, and other outrageous things like electric buses in Rwanda and climate programs in Mexico. The rescissions package that Senate Republicans just passed eliminates billions in wasteful spending, and it is an important step toward restoring fiscal sanity and economic security.”
According to information from Senator Blackburn’s office, the bill targets several areas for reductions. It removes nearly $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This organization supports outlets such as NPR and PBS.
The package also includes cuts to foreign aid initiatives that include funds for democracy programs for LGBTQI+ populations in the Western Balkans, reproductive health education projects, climate resilience funding across multiple continents, community resilience efforts in Yemen, and a gender equality hub.
Further cuts affect U.S. contributions to international organizations such as the World Health Organization ($135 million), which was criticized for its response during the COVID-19 pandemic; the UN Population Fund ($33 million); and the UN Human Rights Council ($8 million).
Other projects eliminated by the act involve wind farms in Ukraine, diversity improvements for Mexican street lighting industries, Net Zero Cities initiatives in Mexico, youth climate programs in Melanesia, migrant support in Colombia, an Iraqi version of Sesame Street, sexual reproductive health work in Venezuela, voter ID efforts in Haiti, electric buses in Rwanda, and Peruvian biodiversity.
Senator Blackburn pointed out these reductions as part of broader efforts by Senate Republicans to address federal spending levels amid concerns over America’s $37 trillion national debt after recent years of higher expenditures.
A video featuring Senator Blackburn discussing government spending was also released alongside her statement.
