Legislation to grab back money already approved by Congress

(AFP): US lawmakers on Thursday approved a White House request to claw back $9.4 billion from funding already allocated by Congress in a victory for President Donald Trump as he pushes to lock in spending cuts spearheaded by tech billionaire Elon Musk.
The vote in the Republican-led US House of Representatives was seen as the first test of how easily Congress could usher into law savings sought by Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — just days after his acrimonious exit from the government.
But the saved funds — targeting public broadcasting and foreign aid -- were unpopular in some sections of both parties, and Republicans in the House of Representatives shoehorned the bill through a razor-thin 214-212 vote. "Under President Trump's leadership, your taxpayer dollars are no longer being wasted," House Speaker Mike Johnson said in a statement.
"Instead, they are being directed toward priorities that truly benefit the American people."
Legislation to grab back money already approved by Congress — known as a "rescissions package" — is extremely rare and no such measure had passed in decades.
The vote was the first in what Johnson has touted as a potential series of packages codifying the cuts made by DOGE.
Musk was tasked by Trump with leading the task force after spending $290 million helping the Republican get elected.

Which teams take the next step in 2025? We have 11 candidates
- 5 hours ago

Bushra Ansari reveals why her first marriage ended
- 8 hours ago

SBP keeps policy rate unchanged at 11pc
- 7 hours ago

ChatGPT can be a disaster for lawyers — Robin AI says it can fix that
- 8 hours ago

‘Respite’ as Sindh hikes minimum wage for workers
- 5 hours ago

Nida Saleh becomes first female driver of Lahore's Orange Line Train
- 8 hours ago
TikTok introduces new features to enhance child safety and creator experience
- 5 hours ago
Attock tragedy: 2 dead, 3 missing as flood engulfs vehicle
- 7 hours ago
Govt approves Hajj Policy 2026
- 3 hours ago

The Drifter is a good old-fashioned thriller
- 8 hours ago

FO rejects Indian claims on so-called 'Operation Sindoor’
- 5 hours ago
German mountaineer dies after attempting Laila Peak summit, confirm officials
- 3 hours ago