Golden votes ‘no’ on president’s recission package
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.
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