U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, voted for the Senate’s approval of a budget rescissions bill (HR.4) aimed at reducing $9 billion from the federal budget. The cuts are part of President Trump’s initiative to eliminate what he considers wasteful spending in major foreign aid programs.
Hyde-Smith expressed her support for the measure, stating, “I consider this vote a signal that we must get serious about stopping the unchecked, wasteful spending. Opponents complain about the rescissions process, but let’s get real. The hue and cry from Democrats against cutting to what amounts to about one-tenth of one percent of the federal budget tells everyone that they have no intention of using our constitutional power of the purse to take substantive actions to tackle waste, fraud, and abuse of the money hard-working taxpayers send to Washington.”
The legislation also maintains funding for certain programs, including PEPFAR for combating HIV/AIDS globally and the Food for Peace Program which aids in preventing starvation worldwide by using surplus U.S. agricultural commodities.
Additionally, Hyde-Smith highlighted a commitment she secured in June to continue funding for Mississippi State University’s Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish. She described it as “money well spent and a great program.”
