The Republican Senate voted early this morning to pass a package of spending cuts requested by the Orange Tornado, sending it to the House. Via NBC News:
The rescissions package cancels previously approved funding totaling $9 billion for foreign aid and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds NPR and PBS. Republicans passed it through a rarely used process to evade the 60-vote threshold and modify a bipartisan spending deal on party lines.
The vote of 51-48 followed a 13-hour series of votes on amendments, with two Republicans joining Democrats in opposition to the final bill: Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
Senate Democrats unanimously voted to reject the package. However, Tina Smith (D-MN) missed all amendment votes as well as final passage while she spent the night in hospital “out of an abundance of caution” after not feeling well, her office said.
The measure now goes back to the House, where it will need to be passed again before Trump can sign it into law. Senators amend[ed] the measure, which the House passed 214-212 last month, to remove $400 million in cuts to PEPFAR, the foreign aid program to combat HIV/AIDS.
