U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) on Monday led Republicans in introducing legislation that would codify the president’s cuts to foreign aid initiatives within the U.S. State Department and USAID, as well as public broadcasting, including NPR and PBS at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Rep. Scalise sponsored the Rescissions Act of 2025, H.R. 4, to cut $9.4 billion in waste and to restore fiscal responsibility, he said.
“As last month’s credit rating downgrade by Moody’s reaffirmed, we need to drastically reduce deficit spending in Washington and get back to focusing on the top priorities of the American taxpayer,” Rep. Scalise said. “The rescissions request sent to Congress by the Trump administration takes the federal government in a new direction where we actually cut waste, fraud, and abuse and hold agencies accountable to the American people.”
The congressman sponsored H.R. 4 alongside five original cosponsors, including U.S. Reps. Tom Cole (R-OK), Pete Sessions (R-TX), and Blake Moore (R-UT).
Specifically, H.R. 4 would rescind certain budget authority proposed to be rescinded in special messages transmitted to Congress by Trump on June 3, in accordance with section 1012(a) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, according to the bill’s text.
For example, the bill would rescind the unobligated balances under the headings “International Organizations — Contributions to International Organizations” made available by the U.S. Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 2024; and “International Organizations — Contributions to International Organizations” made available by the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act of 2025, totaling more than $33 million and $168.8 million, respectively.
Additionally, H.R. 4 would rescind $400 million in unobligated balances under the heading “Bilateral Economic Assistance — Funds Appropriated to the President — Global Health Programs” made available by the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act of 2025, among many other programs.
“Along with the One Big Beautiful Bill that will achieve savings of more than $1.6 trillion, these cuts will help put us on a path to fiscal sanity and undo years of reckless spending that drives inflation,” said Rep. Scalise. “I look forward to seeing this legislation come to the floor next week as House Republicans fight to change the trajectory of Washington spending and restore commonsense to the federal government.”