Golden votes ‘no’ on president’s recission package

June 12, 2025 Press Release Trump proposal would eliminate funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting WASHINGTON —Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) voted today against
the Recissions Act of 2025 , a proposal by President
Donald Trump to claw back $9.4 billion in congressionally approved spending on
foreign aid and the Corporations for Public Broadcasting (CPB). “Zeroing out CPB funding would undermine or even shut down
independent, nonpartisan rural public television and radio networks such as
Maine Public, which provides educational programming for children and critical
public services such as the life-saving emergency alert system,” Golden said . “This bill also would gut the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS
Relief (PEPFAR), a program founded by a Republican president with bipartisan
support that has saved more than 25 million lives in an effort to stop the
spread of AIDS.” The Recissions Act of
2025 proposed the elimination of
$8.3 billion in funding from foreign aid programs within the U.S. State
Department, primarily from the U.S. Agency on International Development
(USAID), and $1.1 billion — the entire federal appropriation — for CPB. The bill forced an up-or-down vote on the entire slate of
clawbacks, preventing the ability of members to approve or reject individual
recissions. It passed with only GOP support in a 214-212 vote. “While I won’t support a proposal that cuts funding that supports
PBS KIDS educational programming and worthwhile public health initiatives,
there are undoubtedly initiatives in the State Department — including some
included in this package — where cuts are justified,” Golden said. “While this bill selects some of the wrong targets, it is the correct
way for the administration to seek these kinds of savings. I remain open to
other, better-targeted recissions proposals.” Background: The 1974 Impoundment
Control Act establishes a formal procedure for Congress to consider rescissions
requests submitted by the president. The law gives Congress 45 days to act on
the request. During that 45-day window, the White House may withhold the
covered funds. The measure can pass by a simple majority in the Senate and
cannot be filibustered. ###