Trump Orders Ag Pam Bondi To Seek Release Of Epstein Grand Jury Records

Trump’s cuts to NPR, PBS and overseas assistance clear Congress

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Sahil Kapur, Kyle Stewart and Syedah Asghar

Kyle Stewart and Nnamdi Egwuonwu

The House Rules Committee approved 2 rules coming on statement lines: 1 for nan rescission package to codify national spending cuts and nan different a a resolution calling for Attorney General Pam Bondi to merchandise documents related to nan Jeffrey Epstein investigation.

The norm for nan rescissions package is now headed to nan House level for debate, followed by a vote. The enclosure will not beryllium taking up nan Epstein solution tonight.

If it is passed by nan House, nan Epstein solution would not transportation nan unit of nan law, arsenic it would not spell done nan Senate aliases request nan president’s signature.

Trump this evening denied penning a missive to Epstein much than 2 decades agone that reportedly included an outline of a naked female and a “Donald” signature.

The denial came successful consequence to a Wall Street Journal article that said Trump was among dozens of Epstein’s associates enlisted by his then-confidant Ghislaine Maxwell to lend to a postulation of letters she planned to springiness him successful a day album.

According to documents reviewed by nan Journal, Trump’s missive featured respective lines of typewritten matter framed by what appeared to beryllium a hand-drawn outline of a naked woman. The outline, according to nan Journal, included specifications meant to picture nan woman’s breast. Trump’s signature was drawn crossed nan woman’s waist, meant to mimic nan quality of pubic hair.

NBC News has not independently verified aliases seen nan letter.

Read nan afloat communicative here.

Trump said connected societal media coming that he had directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to nutrient "pertinent" grounds tied to nan Epstein case.

"Based connected nan ridiculous magnitude of publicity fixed to Jeffrey Epstein, I person asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to nutrient immoderate and each pertinent Grand Jury testimony, taxable to Court approval," Trump wrote connected Truth Social. "This SCAM, perpetuated by nan Democrats, should end, correct now!"

Bondi responded on X that nan Justice Department was "ready to move nan tribunal tomorrow to unseal nan expansive assemblage transcripts."

The White House said earlier coming that Trump will not name a typical counsel to reappraisal Epstein's case.

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Syedah Asghar, Kyle Stewart and Zoë Richards

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said connected social media coming that she is criminally referring Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to nan Justice Department complete a task to renovate nan cardinal bank's headquarters.

“I americium criminally referring Jerome Powell to nan DOJ to analyse perjury regarding his crazy $2.5BN building,” Luna wrote connected X.

The specifications of nan perjury allegation were not instantly clear; a spokesperson for Luna didn't instantly respond to a petition for comment. A spokesperson for nan Federal Reserve Board declined to comment.

Members of Congress tin telephone connected nan Justice Department to prosecute investigations, moreover if they aren't convinced that a crime has taken place. According to nan Congressional Research Service, a legislative investigation agency, those referrals don't require nan Justice Department to initiate prosecution.

Kyle Stewart and Zoë Richards

The House Rules Committee plans to beforehand 2 abstracted rules coming — 1 connected nan rescissions package to claw backmost $9 cardinal successful already approved spending and 1 connected a solution related to releasing accusation successful nan Epstein case, according to 2 sources acquainted pinch nan plan.

The committee has been gathering connected nan rescissions package for much than 2 hours. Even though Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., nan ranking member, many times asked Chair Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., whether nan committee will besides return up thing related to Epstein information, Foxx has declined to supply immoderate specifics.

The scheme Republican leaders worked connected passim nan time pinch nan GOP members of nan Rules Committee would let nan rescissions package to make it to nan level coming while appeasing Republicans who want to show that they support transparency successful nan Epstein case. The Hill first reported nan plans.

The matter of nan caller solution related to Epstein has not been released publicly.

Nnamdi Egwuonwu and Steve Kopack

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell responded to a missive from Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought aft Vought raised concerns astir nan expanding costs of an ongoing renewal to nan cardinal bank's headquarters.

Vought has based on that nan increasing costs of nan renovation, presently pegged astatine $2.5 billion, required further support from nan National Capital Planning Commission, a national readying agency. Trump, who has talked astir potentially firing Powell, has suggested without grounds that nan billion-dollar value tag for nan task could beryllium fraudulent.

In his missive today, Powell noted that nan renewal had been taxable to fund support and had been overseen successful portion by an independent inspector wide who has not identified immoderate fraudulent spending. He added that nan task is "large successful scope" because it involves renovating 2 historical buildings and that nan "small number of creation changes" that had been made to nan renewal since nan authorities readying agency approved it did not warrant further review, according to National Capital Planning Commission guidance.

“Guidance from nan NCPC states that agencies should taxable revised task accusation for approved projects only if important changes are made successful either nan creation aliases scheme of nan task aft NCPC review. The Board does not respect immoderate of these changes arsenic warranting further review," Powell wrote.

A White House charismatic told NBC News that location will beryllium nary changes to Trump's schedule aliases manner related to his caller diagnosis, disclosed today, of chronic venous insufficiency.

The charismatic said Trump has had nary discomfort — and said he won’t beryllium taking steps for illustration wearing compression socks aliases putting his feet up connected an ottoman to relieve unit aliases swelling.

The White House has not specified erstwhile Trump was evaluated and diagnosed, saying only that it was successful "recent weeks."

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Syedah Asghar, Kyle Stewart and Zoë Richards

House action connected nan Senate-passed rescissions package is stalled arsenic Republican leaders effort to fig retired really to appease members of their ain statement who want to show that they support transparency regarding nan Epstein case.

The House was scheduled to ballot astir 7 p.m. ET connected nan authorities to claw backmost $9 cardinal successful already approved funding, but nan measurement first has to spell done nan Rules Committee. That sheet conscionable scheduled a 6 p.m. gathering connected nan measurement that could spell for respective hours depending connected really galore amendments are submitted.

Democrats whitethorn connection amendments connected immoderate topic. Specifically, Democrats could connection amendments connected forcing nan merchandise of Epstein information, arsenic Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., tried to do Monday nighttime successful nan committee. Republicans voted down that amendment, though Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., voted successful favour of it pinch Democrats.

The Rules Committee could person met earlier successful nan day, but members want to show that they support transparency, House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters.

Trump has been diagnosed with a information that causes humor to excavation successful his legs aft he was examined for “mild swelling successful his little legs,” Leavitt said today.

Leavitt said astatine a briefing that Trump was diagnosed pinch chronic venous insufficiency, a “benign” information communal successful group complete property 70. He is 79.

Follow-up tests recovered nary grounds of a superior aliases life-threatening information for illustration heavy vein thrombosis, she said, but they did lead to a test of chronic venous insufficiency.

Read nan afloat communicative here.

Brooke Sopelsa and Jo Yurcaba

The Trump management this day officially terminated nan 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ Youth Specialized Services program, which gave callers nether property 25 nan action to speak pinch LGBTQ-trained counselors.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced past month that nan specialized work would beryllium shuttered. The agency said it would “no longer silo LGB+ younker services” — notably removing nan “T” representing nan transgender organization — and would alternatively “focus connected serving all help seekers.”

“Everyone who contacts nan 988 Lifeline will proceed to person entree to skilled, caring, culturally competent situation counselors who tin thief pinch suicidal, constituent misuse, aliases intelligence wellness crises, aliases immoderate different benignant of affectional distress. Anyone who calls nan Lifeline will proceed to person compassion and help,” nan agency said astatine nan time.

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline launched successful July 2022, 2 years aft Trump signed nan National Suicide Hotline Designation Act, making 988 nan cosmopolitan number for nan nationalist termination prevention line. The bipartisan legislation noted that LGBTQ youths “are much than 4 times much apt to contemplate termination than their peers and said SAMHSA “must beryllium equipped to supply specialized resources” to high-risk populations, including LGBTQ youths.

Read nan afloat communicative here.

In an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, nan House approved a landmark cryptocurrency bill that would found nan first regulatory model for issuers of stablecoins, called nan GENIUS Act. The bill, which has already passed nan Senate, now heads to Trump’s desk.

The ballot was 308-122, pinch 206 Republicans and 102 Democrats supporting nan legislation.

The House besides approved 2 different crypto-related pieces of legislation, some of which still request to clear nan Senate.

Michael Kosnar and Nnamdi Egwuonwu

Top Trump officials toured Alcatraz Island disconnected California coming for a sojourn aimed astatine measuring nan feasibility of reverting nan nationalist parkland to a prison, a request Trump made connected Truth Social back successful May.

Fox News accompanied Attorney General Pam Bondi and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum arsenic they toured nan national facility, which closed arsenic a national penitentiary successful 1963, according to nan Bureau of Prisons. It has operated arsenic a nationalist parkland since 1972.

"It’s a national property. Its original usage was a prison, and truthful portion of this would beryllium to trial nan feasibility astir returning it backmost to its original use," said Burgum, who oversees nationalist parks.

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Frank Thorp V, Brennan Leach and Zoë Richards

Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., is backmost connected Capitol Hill for Senate votes coming aft she missed past night's rescissions package vote-a-rama.

"With a cleanable measure of health, I’m fresh to get backmost to activity fighting for Minnesotans," Smith said successful a post connected X this day that made ray of her emotion for doughnuts.

Smith's agency said yesterday that she would enactment overnight for introspection astatine George Washington University Hospital successful Washington “out of an abundance of caution” aft having felt unwell.

Some play successful nan Senate Appropriations Committee was reversed coming erstwhile Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, switched her ballot to not derail nan Trump administration’s scheme to put nan caller FBI office successful nan Ronald Reagan Building successful Washington alternatively of successful Greenbelt, Maryland. 

The rumor came to a caput past week erstwhile an amendment introduced by Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., to nan Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations measure — which would unit backing for nan caller FBI HQ to beryllium utilized only for a Greenbelt location — passed pinch nan thief of Murkowski’s vote.

The ballot resulted successful Republicans’ defecting from nan bill, putting its transition successful jeopardy. As a result, nan Appropriations Committee went into an extended recess to fig retired a way that didn’t consequence successful nan decease of nan full bill.

Frank Thorp V and Zoë Richards

Some Senate Republicans are disappointment by Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought’s suggestion that nan appropriations process should beryllium little bipartisan.

Majority Leader John Thune, of South Dakota, said Vought's remark "runs contrary to what, you know, nan mathematics tells america astir here."

At a Christian Science Monitor meal today, Vought said, according to a study successful Politico, that “the appropriations process has to beryllium little bipartisan.”

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said Vought's remark “disrespects” nan appropriations process.

“I deliberation he thinks that we are irrelevant," Murkowski said, adding that Vought's comments were "pretty dismissive of nan appropriations process, beautiful dismissive of our role."

While his friends person been pushing Trump to sanction a typical counsel in nan Epstein probe, Leavitt said he's not interested.

"The president would not urge a typical charismatic successful nan Epstein case. That’s really he feels,” she said.

Asked why nan management can't simply merchandise much accusation from nan files, Leavitt said that would beryllium up to nan Justice Department but that if it includes expansive assemblage information, "a judge would person to o.k. it. That’s retired of nan president’s control."

She was besides asked what astir nan Epstein lawsuit that Trump now considers a "hoax." "The president was referring to nan truth that Democrats person now seized connected this, arsenic if they ever wanted transparency connected this, which is an asinine suggestion," she said, adding they didn't "do a dang thing" erstwhile Biden was successful office.

Read nan afloat communicative here.

Trump has been diagnosed pinch "chronic venous insufficiency" aft he was checked retired for "mild swelling successful his little legs," Leavitt said astatine nan briefing today.

Leavitt said nan insufficiency is simply a "benign and communal condition, peculiarly successful individuals complete nan property of 70.”

“Importantly, location was nary grounds of heavy vein thrombosis aliases arterial disease,” she added.

Julie Tsirkin

Brennan LeachBrennan Leach is an subordinate shaper for NBC News covering nan Senate.

Julie Tsirkin and Brennan Leach

Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., introduced a solution calling connected nan Justice Department to merchandise its files related to nan Epstein probe connected nan Senate level this afternoon. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., objected to nan solution aft Gallego said astir Trump’s “total reversal” connected releasing nan files.  

“Trump is straight-up gaslighting nan American public. Does he deliberation nan American group are that dumb? Did he really deliberation nan American group would not hide what he had said for years connected nan run trail?” he asked. 

Gallego tied Trump’s avoidance of nan Epstein rumor to a shape of helping his “elite” friends astatine nan disbursal of nan American people. 

Frank Thorp V and Dareh Gregorian

Democrats walked retired of a Senate Judiciary Committee gathering coming to beforehand elder Justice Department official Emil Bove’s information for a national judgeship, alleging Republicans improperly rushed nan process.

A spokesperson for nan apical Democrat connected nan panel, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, said that arsenic a result, it is an unfastened mobility whether nan nominations of Bove, who antecedently was Trump’s individual defense lawyer, and erstwhile Fox News host Jeanine Pirro, whom he has picked to beryllium U.S. lawyer of nan District of Columbia, are moving forward.

The spokesperson said that nan Republican mostly collapsed respective rules pinch its actions and that Democrats would make their lawsuit to nan Senate parliamentarian that nan votes should beryllium voided.

A spokesperson for nan committee’s Republican chairman, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, said that location is nary conflict and that Bove’s information to nan Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and Pirro’s information tin move up to nan afloat Senate.

Read nan afloat communicative here.

The Justice Department is seeking nary situation time for a erstwhile serviceman who blindly changeable into Breonna Taylor’s home during a botched 2020 raid that sparked a national enquiry into policing successful Louisville, Kentucky.

Brett Hankison, a erstwhile Louisville Metro Police Department detective whose shots did not onslaught Taylor, was convicted of deprivation of authorities nether colour of rule successful November. Federal prosecutors said he fired 10 shots done a model and a sliding solid doorway that were covered pinch blinds and curtains. Multiple bullets traveled done nan wall and into an flat adjacent doorway but did not deed anyone.

Read nan afloat communicative here.

Gabe Gutierrez

Michael Kosnar

Gabe Gutierrez and Michael Kosnar

The Trump management is moving guardant pinch plans to effort and reopen Alcatraz to prisoners.

Attorney General Pam Bondi, who oversees nan Bureau of Prisons, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, whose section controls nan land, are expected to sojourn nan existent tourer tract today, according to 2 management officials acquainted pinch nan plans. 

A elder Justice Department charismatic said Bondi and Burgum are touring nan situation and nan surrounding island, discussing accommodation pinch parkland constabulary connected nan ground, and directing unit to collaborate connected nan basal readying to rehabilitate and reopen nan facility. 

Reacting to section media reports, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., issued a written statement. 

“With stiff competition, nan planned announcement to reopen Alcatraz arsenic a national penitentiary is nan Trump Administration’s stupidest inaugural yet,” she wrote. “It should interest america each that intelligibly nan only intelligence resources nan Administration has drawn upon for this foolish conception are decades-old fictional Hollywood movies.”

Gabrielle Khoriaty and Brennan Leach

Republican senators praised nan rescissions package they passed early this morning, while Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., slammed nan authorities arsenic “the meanest ballot that I’ve seen connected nan level of nan Senate.” 

“The glee that immoderate of my colleagues showed erstwhile it comes to cutting backmost connected basal nutrient and medicine for nan poorest group successful nan world, I can’t understand it all,” Durbin said.  

When asked if he is concerned that Congress will person to undo immoderate of what nan rescissions measure does, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said, “I deliberation there’s astir apt going to beryllium immoderate adjustments akin to what is going to person to beryllium done pinch nan measure we passed a mates of weeks ago,” referring to nan Republican home argumentation bill.   

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said successful guidance to cutting nationalist media, “I was each for cutting those. I wish that we could person trim more,” adding, “sadly, you can’t make a rescissions measure bigger connected nan floor.” 

Julie Tsirkin and Kyle Stewart

The House is presently scheduled to ballot coming connected the Senate-passed rescissions package to cancel $9 cardinal successful antecedently approved funding, though that timing whitethorn slide, Johnson said.

"We’re conscionable looking astatine each nan moving parts and nan almanac and nan timetable and each that,” Speaker Johnson said arsenic nan enclosure tries to battalion each of nan authorities planned for nan full week into 1 time aft a group of Republicans blocked immoderate action connected crypto bills for 2 days. “We cognize we’ve sewage a short fuse connected rescissions for tomorrow, truthful we’re figuring it out.”  

Congress faces a deadline tomorrow to o.k. nan rescissions package.

Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said to reporters aft they walked retired of nan Judiciary meeting. 

Booker slammed Republicans for cutting disconnected debate.

“This is nan world’s astir deliberative body, and we can’t moreover statement a arguable judge, a judge that has been accused by a whistleblower of lying to nan United States Senate, to lying to this committee,” Booker said.

Because Democrats walked retired of nan Senate Judiciary Committee business gathering during votes to nonstop Trump’s judicial nominees to nan afloat Senate, each nan nominees were reported retired 12-0, pinch each 12 Republicans and nary of nan Democrats voting.

Grassley’s agency believes some Emil Bove’s nomination to beryllium a national appeals tribunal judge and Jeanine Pirro's information to beryllium U.S. lawyer for nan District of Columbia were voted to nan afloat Senate connected a 12-0 vote, an assertion that Democrats are questioning.

A spokesperson for Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley says that Bove’s information had been reported retired of committee to nan afloat Senate, moreover though Democrats connected nan committee walked retired successful protestation complete nan deficiency of statement and nan refusal to clasp a ballot connected whether to clasp a proceeding pinch a whistleblower earlier they voted. 

But a spokesperson for Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin is saying that whether Bove was reported retired is an unfastened mobility and whitethorn beryllium up to nan Senate parliamentarian because Democrats declare Republicans collapsed respective committee rules successful nan process of forcing nan vote.

Grassley explained his determination to unit nan ballot astatine nan extremity of nan meeting:

"I ordered nan ballot this time, truthful if you’ll dispersed that connection that this is not unprecedented, either nan actions of nan number stepping away, aliases what we did present arsenic a majority, it’s happened before, and we person to move things along. And I convey everybody for participating." 

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley confers pinch aides today.J. Scott Applewhite / AP

Democrats walked retired of nan Senate Judiciary Committee gathering connected Bove's information aft Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., accused Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, of rushing nan ballot without allowing each of his colleagues to speak.

"This is retired of order," Booker said. "This is perfectly insane. What is nan rush?"

Booker joined his colleagues successful leaving aft blasting Grassley for pushing up pinch nan vote, saying nan move lacked "decorum."

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said that Bove "should not beryllium earnestly considered by nan Senate for a life assignment to nan national bench."

He highlighted Erez Reuveni's whistleblower complaint, criticizing nan GOP for not letting Reuveni attest up of nan ballot connected Bove. Durbin besides criticized Bove's actions successful nan section related to nan dismissal of unit progressive successful nan investigation of nan Jan. 6, 2021, onslaught connected nan U.S. Capitol.

"Mr. Bove lacks nan judgement and temperament to beryllium connected nan bench," Durbin said.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., nan ranking Democrat connected nan Judiciary Committee, utilized his remarks to slam nan administration's curen of nan Jeffrey Epstein case, which has fractured nan MAGA base.

Durbin called retired Attorney General Pam Bondi successful particular, noting that "the nationalist is really suspicious of her findings."

The legislator besides invoked Trump's station to Truth Social yesterday, wherever he disavowed supporters calling for much transparency astir nan Epstein case.

"President Trump and Attorney General Bondi are straight responsible for each this disorder and mistrust, and they request to beryllium afloat transparent, and they should merchandise each of nan documents for nan nationalist to reappraisal arsenic quickly arsenic possible," he said.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, opened nan Senate Judiciary Committee gathering to see Bove's information by criticizing nan pushback connected nan nominee arsenic "unfair rhetoric and treatment."

"What we're witnessing has each nan hallmarks of a governmental deed job," Grassley said.

He said that he takes whistleblower complaints seriously, referring to allegations against Bove by former Justice Department lawyer Erez Reuveni.

Trump is facing increasing pressure, including from immoderate of his closest allies, for much transparency connected the Jeffrey Epstein case. But location are mixed opinions connected what steps nan management should return next.

The president has urged his supporters to move connected from nan case, decrying nan communicative arsenic “boring” and lashing retired astatine those who person called for much information. Despite this, galore group — including friends but also Democrats and critics connected nan correct — person demanded much clarity astir nan case. Epstein was recovered dormant successful a New York jailhouse compartment successful 2019 while he was awaiting a proceedings connected activity trafficking charges. Conspiracy theories have swirled since then, including baseless claims that he was killed to protect his powerful clients.

Read nan afloat communicative here.

Trump is lashing retired astatine immoderate of his ain supporters complete their demands for much accusation astir nan precocious convicted activity offender Jeffrey Epstein. “It’s each been a large hoax. It’s perpetrated by nan Democrats and immoderate stupid Republicans and foolish Republicans autumn into nan net,” Trump said. NBC’s Gabe Gutierrez reports for "TODAY."

The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to ballot this greeting connected nan information of Emil Bove, a elder Justice Department charismatic and erstwhile individual defense lawyer for Trump, to beryllium a judge connected nan Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Bove has been accused of dropping corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams successful return for his thief connected migration matters, which some he and nan politician person denied. Bove said astatine nan clip that Adams' indictment came excessively adjacent to nan mayoral superior and hindered his expertise to thief pinch migration enforcement and crime-fighting.

A erstwhile Justice Department lawyer besides accused Bove of suggesting that subordinates defy tribunal orders aimed astatine stopping deportations, which Bove besides has denied.

Bove besides has travel nether disapproval for his involvement successful nan dismissals of Justice Department unit who worked connected nan investigation of nan Jan. 6 riot.

Gordon Lubold, Courtney Kube, Julie Tsirkin, Katherine Doyle, Dan De Luce and Carol E. Lee

One of nan 3 atomic enrichment sites successful Iran struck by nan United States past period was mostly destroyed, mounting activity location backmost significantly. But nan 2 others were not arsenic severely damaged and whitethorn person been degraded only to a constituent wherever atomic enrichment could resume successful nan adjacent respective months if Iran wants it to, according to a caller U.S. appraisal of nan demolition caused by nan subject operation, 5 existent and erstwhile U.S. officials acquainted pinch nan appraisal told NBC News.

The assessment, portion of nan Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to find nan position of Iran’s atomic programme since nan accommodation were struck, was briefed to immoderate U.S. lawmakers, Defense Department officials and allied countries successful caller days, 4 of those group said.

Read nan afloat communicative here.

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Sahil Kapur, Frank Thorp V and Brennan Leach

The Republican-led Senate Republicans voted early this greeting to walk a package of spending cuts requested by Trump, sending it to nan House.

The rescissions package cancels antecedently approved backing totaling $9 cardinal for overseas assistance and nan Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which costs NPR and PBS. Republicans passed it done a seldom utilized process to evade nan 60-vote period and modify a bipartisan spending woody connected statement lines.

Read nan afloat communicative here.