House Republicans eked out a narrow win Thursday on their $9.4 billion rescission package in a dramatic afternoon vote that for several minutes appeared to be doomed.
The 214-212 vote marked the first real test of the Trump administration’s attempts to codify clawbacks of what it calls wasteful spending. The measure now goes to the Senate, where its fate is less certain. The bill would rescind $1.1 billion in taxpayer support for public broadcasting and $8.3 billion in foreign aid, including $400 million from a popular program to combat HIV/AIDS globally.
The measure reached at least a half-dozen “no” votes among Republicans as votes were being cast before they began flipping to an affirmative vote. Once a razor-thin margin of victory had been achieved, the presiding officer gaveled the vote to a close.
