In a major win for President Donald Trump, the House narrowly passed a $9 billion rescissions package late Thursday night.
The vote was 216-213, according to ABC News, and left some House Democrats reeling.
The bill slashes federal spending on foreign aid and biased public broadcasting and is headed to Trump’s desk for a signature.
Trump initially requested the cuts, building on $9.4 billion in slashed spending proposed by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, ABC News reported.
Axios reported that some of the Democratic caucus is upset after House Democrats failed to mount a serious effort to block the bill.
Despite calls from their base, Democratic leadership did not use any delay tactics ahead of the Friday deadline.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke for just 15 minutes ahead of the vote, less than his hours-long speech earlier this month before the vote on Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill.”
Democrats also refrained from introducing numerous amendments, instead focusing on unrelated measures targeting the DOJ’s Jeffrey Epstein files.
Some Democrats were frustrated by the decision not to delay the vote.
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Rep. Josh Riley of New York reportedly pushed for a delay but was not successful.
“I haven’t had a chance to talk to the leader about it,” Riley told Axios.
Others defended the strategy, arguing the legal case for delay was weak.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington told Axios that delaying would have made things “messy.”
“We need to fight the battles we can win,” Rep. Jared Huffman of California added.
Meanwhile, Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida told Axios: “I think every little [Trump-backed bill] is part of a bigger picture. It’s a puzzle being built — you’ve got to stop every piece.”
Just two Republicans voted against the bill: Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Mike Turner of Ohio, per ABC News.
Speaker Mike Johnson celebrated the bill’s passage, calling it the first of many.
“This isn’t the end; it’s the beginning,” Johnson said.
The Senate approved the package Wednesday in a 51-48 vote after a marathon voting session.
Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska sided with Democrats in opposing the measure.
Vice President J.D. Vance cast the tie-breaking vote to advance the package on Tuesday, after three Republicans — Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky – voted against the legislation.
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