_WHAT’S HAPPENING_
President Donald Trump is submitting a request to Congress to cut billions of dollars in spending.
The process — known as rescissions — would enable the administration to write some of the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) cuts into law. However, some Republicans are concerned about cutting popular programs, while others argue the proposed cuts are not ambitious enough.
_THE FACTS_
DOGE estimates that it has saved taxpayers about $160 billion. Many of those cuts are being challenged in courts.
President Trump’s refusal to spend congressionally allocated funds has also been challenged in the courts.
Through rescissions — a rarely used budget tool — Trump may be able to bypass the courts.
This process allows the president to request that Congress cancel previously approved spending without the threat of a filibuster.
President Trump attempted to use this process in 2018 to reduce $15 billion in spending.
Although the Republicans controlled the Senate, the measure failed when two Republicans voted with the Democrats against the cuts.
Now, Trump is trying again: next week, the administration will send Congress a request to cut over $9 billion; the cuts will include USAID, NPR, and PBS.
Some Republicans, such as Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, believe a package of this size is far too small; Paul advocates for a bill in the $500 billion range.
Other Republicans worry that codifying DOGE’s cuts — especially to Medicaid — could backfire in next year’s midterm elections.
_INSIGHTS_
Republicans have more senators today (53) than they did in 2018 (51), meaning they can lose three votes on a package. However, they have an extremely small House majority, and some cuts, such as those to PBS, could make swing-district members skittish.
Failure to pass this recissions package would significantly set back the administration’s efforts, as courts are already slowing down Trump’s cuts elsewhere.
But success would give the administration an early legislative win in its effort to reduce funding for agencies like USAID and NPR, which have been longstanding targets of proposed budget cuts. It would also boost DOGE’s efforts at a time when Elon Musk, its nominal leader, may be stepping back from the political spotlight.
