White House agrees to exempt PEPFAR from cuts

Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought told reporters after meeting with Senate Republicans Tuesday that the White House is on board with a substitute amendment to the rescissions package that would exempt PEPFAR, the global anti-AIDS initiative from cuts.

Vought said that the president could accept the substitute amendment to exempt the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, an initiative George W. Bush launched in 2003, from rescissions.

He said the size of the rescissions package would be $9 billion if the Senate substitute amendment is adopted.

“It’s substantially the same package and the Senate has to work its will and we’ve appreciated the work along the way to get to a place where they’ve got the votes,” he said.

“There is a substitute amendment that does not include the PEPFAR recission and we’re fine with that,” Vought said Tuesday after the lunch.

The amendment means the House will have to vote again on the legislation. House Republicans had pressed for the Senate not to change the bill.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), a senior member of the Appropriations panel, had expressed concern over the proposed cut to PEPFAR, which is now likely to be dropped from the bill. 

The White House budget director said he’s also working with senator “who have tribes in their states” who are concerned about cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting that could affect radio stations on tribal lands.

Vought and the Senate GOP leadership have reached a deal with Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) to redirect some other unallocated spending to help stations broadcasting to tribal communities.

“It’s not Green New Deal. There’s money that’s been around for a long time that we can purpose for what is needed,” Vought said.

He expressed confidence that Senate Republican leaders have the votes to move the bill.

He said the total cost of the package is $9 billion.