By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Concealed RepublicanConcealed Republican
  • Home
  • Latest News
  • Guns
  • Politics
  • Videos
Reading: Rescissions explained: How Trump and Congress aim to claw back billions in spending
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Font ResizerAa
Concealed RepublicanConcealed Republican
  • News
  • Guns
  • Politics
  • Videos
  • Home
  • Latest News
  • Guns
  • Politics
  • Videos
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • Advertise
  • Advertise
© 2022 Foxiz News Network. Ruby Design Company. All Rights Reserved.
Concealed Republican > Blog > News > Rescissions explained: How Trump and Congress aim to claw back billions in spending
News

Rescissions explained: How Trump and Congress aim to claw back billions in spending

Jim Taft
Last updated: June 4, 2025 3:56 am
By Jim Taft 10 Min Read
Share
Rescissions explained: How Trump and Congress aim to claw back billions in spending
SHARE

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

And you thought you had just figured out what “reconciliation” means in Congressional budget terms.

Here’s a new vocabulary term: rescissions.

You might not be able to spell it. But I can tell you what it does.

A “rescissions” bill “rescinds” money which Congress has already allocated, ex post facto.

For simplicity, I often describe rescissions legislation as “spending cancellations.” Congress appropriated money. Then, under a recissions bill, Congress claws back dollars it previously appropriated. It’s kind of like a reverse appropriation.

And you thought that in elementary school, there were no takebacks.

TRUMP SENDS $9.4 BILLION DOGE CUTS PROPOSAL TO CONGRESS, TARGETING NPR, PBS

Presidential administrations send “budget requests” to Congress. This is the opposite. An administration can send a “recissions request” to Congress, too. And that’s what Budget Director Russ Vought is doing this week.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is intent on moving fast.

“I’d like to turn it around as quickly as possible,” said Johnson. “There may be multiple rescissions packages coming and we’ll process them as quickly as we can. It’s a big priority for me.”

Congressional conservatives and Elon Musk were not pleased with the relative paucity of spending cuts in the Big, Beautiful Bill.

Musk told CBS he was “disappointed” in the legislation.

“Which increases the budget deficit, not decreases it. And it undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing,” said Musk about the hallmark of President Trump’s agenda.

By Tuesday morning, the world’s richest man incinerated the bill on X and chastised most Republicans in Congress.

Musk characterized the legislation as “a disgusting abomination.” He lectured the 215 House Republicans who voted yes, declaring “you know you did wrong.”

SCOOP: HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS DRAWS BATTLE LINES AS WHITE HOUSE READIES $9.4B DOGE SPENDING CUTS

DOGE initially set a goal of unearthing $2 trillion in spending cuts. It then slashed the threshold to $1 trillion. DOGE finally homed in on about $150 billion in cuts by the end of next year. And many of those cuts aren’t even in effect because Congress has the power of the purse.

That’s where Congress comes in with a potential rescissions package.

Most Republicans are appreciative of the efforts by DOGE and Musk.

“I think this is the beginning and the whole conversation in Congress is changed because of it,” said Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., on Fox.

But DOGE evaluated “discretionary” spending. Congress has the “discretion” to spend or not spend certain money each year. That comes through the annual appropriations process. That’s why GOPers are now using their “discretion.” They intend to unwind some of that spending with a rescission plan.

House speaker mike johnson

But the largest percentage of federal spending – by about two to one – is tied to entitlements like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, plus interest on the debt. That spending is called “mandatory.” House Republicans tried to address that slightly in the Big, Beautiful Bill since it dealt with Medicaid spending. But cuts to federal departments lie in the appropriations realm and falls on the discretionary side of the ledger.

However, discretionary cuts via the Big, Beautiful Bill weren’t going to happen.

“Much of what DOGE has looked at is the discretionary spending,” said Flood. “This is far more complicated than just doing it in reconciliation.”

WHITE HOUSE SENDING $9.4 BILLION DOGE CUTS PACKAGE TO CONGRESS NEXT WEEK

And so here we are, with Republicans in Congress looking at the first major rescissions plan since 1993.

“The House Freedom Caucus strongly supports these critical rescissions, and we will support as many more rescissions packages the White House can send us in the coming weeks and months,” said the Freedom Caucus in a statement. “There is no excuse for a Republican House not to advance the first DOGE rescissions package the same week it is presented to Congress then quickly send it for passage in the Republican Senate so President Trump can sign it into law.”

The law requires the president to spend money which Congress approves. However, there are some loopholes where a President can “impound” money and not spend it.

GOP REBELS FIRE WARNING SHOT IN SHUTDOWN SHOWDOWN: NO DOGE, NO DEAL

On CNN, Vought suggested that the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 “allows for a procedure called pocket rescissions later in the year to be able to bank some of these savings without the bill actually being passed.”

Vought signaled that President Trump would likely lean on that tool. But he wants to start with an initial rescissions request.

A recissions plan requires a simple majority to pass the House. And, believe it or not, a simple majority in the Senate. There’s no 60-vote requirement to break a filibuster. Moreover, the “motion to proceed” to start debate on a recessions package is “privileged.” That means the Senate only needs 51 votes to begin the process. Many “motions to proceed” in the Senate need 60 yeas and can be subject to a filibuster.

President Trump formally routed his recissions request to Capitol Hill on Tuesday. It aims to trim $9.4 billion dollars from public broadcasting and foreign aid programs. All of this is money which Musk targeted in his DOGE reviews. But these cuts only count if Congress approves them.

“I want make sure you take the first tranche and see if it passes,” said Vought on the targeted set of proposed spending reductions. “The wider you do in terms of a package, the harder it is to pass. And if it doesn’t pass, this is the real world. And we will lose flexibility that we have to use executive tools to find other ways to make the DOGE cuts permanent.”

SPEAKER JOHNSON SETS EYES ON CUTTING GOVERNMENT SPENDING, VOWS TO TAKE A ‘BLOWTORCH’ TO THE ‘REGULATORY STATE’

Lawmakers are starting to process the rescissions proposal. Especially since Republicans often talk a good game about slashing spending.

“We’ll see if Congress can step up to the plate,” said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Tex., noting the political consequences of not green lighting the rescissions package. “(Members will have) to go campaign on why they want to continue to fund PBS, NPR, and a whole bunch of foreign policy and foreign funding that most Americans don’t like. So you go explain it.”

Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., represents one of the most-Democratic leaning districts in the country. He worries about the PBS and NPR cuts.

“I have a great rapport with Nebraska Public Radio and TV. I think they’ve been great to work with. And so that would be one I hope they don’t put in,” said Bacon.

Susan Collins November 2024

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, flagged reductions to PEPFAR, short for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

“I consider that to be possibly the most successful public health program that has ever been used in Africa and other parts of the world. So I do not support the reduction in PEPFAR,” said Collins.

It’s unclear whether this opening bid to cut spending – minimal as it is – can make it through Congress. Lots of Republicans will sweat this. And these are just negligible cuts. Republicans extolled the work of DOGE. But if they want to eliminate spending, they have to put their vote where their favorite program is.

We’ll know more in a few weeks whether Republicans can approve the recissions package and rescind what some characterize as wasteful spending. Otherwise, they may need to rescind those campaign promises.

Read the full article here

You Might Also Like

Europe struggles with mass migration, growing crime and economic woes

‘I didn’t know that’: Musk surprises Trump with revelation about his 2024 endorsement

Jesus keeps showing up in dreams. Are you paying attention?

Whistleblower explains why Kash Patel is THE guy to fix the FBI

Dexter Taylor Redux? New York Man Faces Years in Prison for 3D Printed Guns

Share This Article
Facebook X Email Print
Previous Article CNN Data Guru ‘FLABBERGASTED’ on How Dems Are Polling with the Middle Class [WATCH] CNN Data Guru ‘FLABBERGASTED’ on How Dems Are Polling with the Middle Class [WATCH]
Next Article Boulder illegal alien terror suspect plotted for year: Cops say he stalked Israel group, posed as gardener, has ‘no regret’ Boulder illegal alien terror suspect plotted for year: Cops say he stalked Israel group, posed as gardener, has ‘no regret’
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

- Advertisement -
Ad image

Latest News

CIA Whistleblower Tells Tucker the Deep State Runs Psyops on American Presidents [WATCH]
CIA Whistleblower Tells Tucker the Deep State Runs Psyops on American Presidents [WATCH]
Politics
Reactions to the Musk-Trump Feud
Reactions to the Musk-Trump Feud
Politics
NYC Socialist Candidate Zohran Mamdani Gives Clear Response To Question On Visiting Israel
NYC Socialist Candidate Zohran Mamdani Gives Clear Response To Question On Visiting Israel
Politics
Alan Dershowitz warns SCOTUS may favor security over free speech
Alan Dershowitz warns SCOTUS may favor security over free speech
News
Belichick’s CBS interview was reportedly supposed to focus only on his new book
Belichick’s CBS interview was reportedly supposed to focus only on his new book
News
Supreme Court Blocks Mexico’s Gun Lawsuit Against U.S. Makers
Supreme Court Blocks Mexico’s Gun Lawsuit Against U.S. Makers
Guns
© 2025 Concealed Republican. All Rights Reserved.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Press Release
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?