Washington is awash in empty promises. For years, politicians from both parties have talked about the need to rein in federal spending, yet the national debt has continued to climb, now surpassing a staggering $37 trillion. Voters are tired of the talk. They want action, and Republicans now have a rare opportunity to show we mean business.
Passing the rescissions bill is that opportunity.
This targeted bill, championed by President Donald Trump and House conservatives, would roll back billions in unnecessary spending from NPR, PBS, and U.S. Agency for International Development funding. It sends a clear message: The days of business-as-usual budgeting are over. For too long, Congress has allowed bloated programs, expired COVID funds, and politically driven subsidies to continue draining taxpayer dollars. The rescissions bill strikes directly at that waste.
More importantly, it proves to the people that Republicans are not just defenders of tax cuts; we’re defenders of fiscal discipline. Cutting taxes without cutting spending is a half-measure. This bill is a down payment on restoring both economic sanity and public trust.
In an era of rising interest payments on the debt, the rescissions bill shows that we’re serious about stewardship. Every dollar clawed back from wasteful programs is a dollar that doesn’t have to be borrowed or passed onto future generations.
The numbers are compelling. For example, the package rolls back $643,000 from LGBT programs in the Western Balkans, $6 million for “Net Zero Cities” in Mexico, and $500,000 for electric buses in Rwanda. It also eliminates taxpayer support for manifestly biased public broadcasting networks.
Some in Washington will say these cuts are too small to matter, but that’s the same mindset that created our now-$37 trillion debt. This package will not solve our spending crisis overnight, but it breaks the cycle of spending without accountability. It’s proof that Congress can act responsibly when it wants to.
Republicans can’t afford to fumble this moment. After years of making promises to reduce the size of government, this is the first real test of our resolve. If we can’t support a bill that trims obvious excess, what credibility will we have when we ask for even larger reforms?
This is also about momentum. Passing the rescissions package builds leverage for future spending fights. It shows the people, and our Senate colleagues, that House Republicans are serious negotiators who are willing to govern like we campaign.
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Americans deserve more than symbolic gestures. They deserve leaders who will make hard choices to protect their futures. Passing this rescissions bill is a small step in the right direction, but it is a vital one.
Let’s prove we’re serious, cut the waste, and defend the taxpayer. Pass all the rescissions.
Congressmen Scott Perry (PA-10), Mark Harris (NC-08), Ralph Norman (SC-05), and Keith Self (TX-03) are active members and voices in the House Freedom Caucus.