US senators approve $9bn of federal cuts for foreign aid programmes

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WASHINGTON: The US Senate early Thursday approved a package of cuts in President Donald Trump’s proposed spending, which will cancel more than $ 9 billion for foreign aid programs and public broadcasts.

The Upper Chamber of Congress highlights the move that the first test was that the lawmakers launched the law saving the law through the performance of the Elon Musk Department (Dodge)-after the controversial expulsion of the government from the government.

Despite the unprecedented popularity of cutbacks in some parts of the two sides, the Republican -led Senate approved the move with 51 votes in a session, which passed for more than two hours at midnight.

The version of the text passed by the House of Representatives in June tried to eliminate $ 400 million allocated in health programs, including the Pepper Global AIDS Relief Fund, developed by the then President George W. Bush.

But the damage to Pepper – which estimated that 26 million lives – was seen as a non -starrheat in a handful of moderate Republican senators, and the proposal was abolished.

South Carolina Senator Lindsay Graham told AFP that the bill is in line with Trump’s promises to reduce spending.

“I’ve been a huge fan of foreign aid accounts […] I am a big hawk boy, but you need foreign assistance. You need soft power, “he said.

“But when you start spending money on a group of junk, and liberal programs are disconnected for the purpose of relief package, it makes it difficult for a boy like me.”

The bill has now returned home for final approval, against the watch with lawmakers. The Congress, which had already allocated the money, would have to approve the deductions by Friday or the White House would actually spend its cash.

Legislation for the already approved packback by Congress – called the “Rescue Package” – is very rare, and no such action has been taken in decades.

Lawmakers’ concerns

About a dozen Republicans expressed concern over allowing the White House to allow expenses to be cut off, and placed them in Trump’s cross -hirs, who threatened to stop verification from any rebel last week.

The vote was the first in which the Republican called for a potential series of packages, supporting the cuts made by Dodge.

After spending $ 290 million to select Tech billionaire, Trump tapped Musk to lead the task force.

Space X and Tesla Boss were proud to save $ 2 trillion in federal spending – but the White House was left under the cloud at the end of May when they disputed Trump’s deficit and expenses.

Dodge acknowledges that it has saved taxpayers only $ 190 billion – and that checkers, in fact, see the claim suspicious, seeing the previous mistakes in his accounting.

The recovered package reduces foreign aid by about $ 8 billion, most of which is approved for US Aid, a humanitarian organization, which is one of the first goals of the Dodge.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has to withdraw about $ 1 billion, which helps fund more than 1,500 local radio and television stations, along with the National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).

Conservatives often accuse PBS and NPR of prejudice, and Trump signed an executive order in May to close federal funds for both networks.

Democrats say the reduction in financing will not reduce a meaningful deficit, but instead will eliminate a reliable source of information for millions of Americans.

“This is another example of the spirit and ideas of our constitution that is about to be found in a terrible way,” New Jersey’s Senator Corey Bakr told AFP. We are a nation that believes that the Congress has a real role. “

“And this is a group of my colleagues who are in the president’s thrill, surrender our powers, and the urgency to work together for us and improve the budget.”