Congress approved a $9 billion rescission request from Donald Trump, impacting federal spending on foreign aid and public broadcasting. This vote serves as a pivotal testing ground for whether Republicans can alter the appropriations process. Typically, a bipartisan approach is necessary, requiring 60 votes in the Senate. However, rescissions can pass with just 51 votes. The intent of the Trump administration is to shift budget processes from bipartisan to partisan. Such a shift could significantly alter longstanding federal budgeting methods.
"What I think will be remembered of this vote is it was a test case in whether Republicans in Congress could change the way the government appropriates money," Michael Scherer.
"Historically, even when one party controls both chambers of Congress, 60 votes are still required to pass a budget through the Senate. That means you need a bipartisan process," Scherer.
"The Trump administration's goal is to break away from a bipartisan budgeting process by making it a purely partisan one. This could change dramatically the whole way the federal government's been budgeted for years," Scherer.
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