Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Trump May Back Off Plan for Foreign Aid Cuts, to Decide Within Week

Reuters

   WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he was
   considering scaling back an effort that could have cut billions of
   dollars in foreign aid and would decide on the proposal - which faces
   strong opposition in Congress - within days.

   Trump administration officials have said they are reviewing State
   Department and U.S. Agency for International Development spending with
   an eye to using a budget process known as "rescission" to slash up to
   $4.3 billion in spending that had already been approved by the Senate
   and House of Representatives.

   "We're looking at it and we're looking at it in different ways, and
   we're talking to Republicans and Democrats about it," Trump told
   reporters at the White House.

   He said "certain things" could be cut, but others might not be. "But we
   are looking at it and we have some things that are on the table very
   much. We'll let you know over the next probably sooner than a week,"
   Trump said.

   Many members of Congress, including some of Trump's fellow Republicans
   as well as Democrats, have called on the administration to cancel, or
   pare back, its plans. The administration also tried to use rescissions
   to cut foreign aid last year, but lawmakers thwarted that plan.

   Opponents say the plan - developed within weeks of Trump signing a
   two-year budget deal into law - could imperil lawmakers' future
   willingness to negotiate spending deals with the White House.

.