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Business Insider
6 days ago
- Health
- Business Insider
HIV, TB, malaria treatment in Kenya threatened by KSh 11.4B funding reduction
Kenya's Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi presented the estimates in Parliament on Thursday, showing a drop in HIV, TB, and malaria funding from KSh 28.7 billion in the current financial year to KSh 17.3 billion. This comes after the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) withdrew their financial support earlier this year, leaving Kenya's health sector exposed to severe funding gaps. In March, the Ministry of Health indicated that KSh 13.54 billion was urgently needed to sustain HIV, TB, and malaria programs for the remainder of the year. This included KSh 7.68 billion for the procurement of essential medical commodities and KSh 5.8 billion to maintain the employment of 11,059 frontline healthcare workers. Within the new allocation, the Treasury has included contributions to the Global Fund for HIV, TB, and malaria, alongside KSh 4.6 billion for vaccines and immunization and KSh 500 million for family planning and reproductive health commodities. Concerns rise amid USAID exit However, it remains unclear whether these allocations will be sufficient to cover the funding vacuum created by the exit of USAID and PEPFAR. For years, these donor programs have played a crucial role in supporting Kenya's efforts against HIV and other communicable diseases. Their withdrawal marks a significant setback for ongoing public health interventions. Geopolitical economist Aly-Khan Satchu described the situation as a major stress test for Kenya's health infrastructure. ' To some degree, there is no HIV or vaccine program without PEPFAR,' he said. ' They are going to have to achieve this now in a shock therapy type moment.' The announcement has raised alarm among health stakeholders, who have previously appealed to the government to act swiftly in addressing the budget gap. As the new fiscal plan awaits legislative scrutiny, questions are being raised about how Kenya intends to meet its public health commitments without the financial backing it has relied on for years.
The Herald Scotland
13-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Trump wins House approval to take back foreign aid, NPR, PBS funding
The vote is a win for Trump and his billionaire former advisor, Elon Musk, and the Department of Government Efficiency project that all but eliminated the U.S. Agency for International Development. Billions of dollars of the targeted funds flowed through the now-defunct agency. More: Dismantling agencies and firing workers: How Trump is redefining relations with Congress and courts It also reflects ongoing tensions within the Republican party over spending and Congress' control over government spending. Many GOP lawmakers were eager to push the request through, but moderate members of the party raised concerns with the impact of cuts. A primary concern was the $1.1 billion in cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds NPR and PBS. Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nevada, penned a joint statement with Rep. Dan Goldman, D-New York, chairs of the Public Broadcasting Caucus, defending "the valuable role public media plays across our districts, particularly in rural areas where, in many cases, it is the only available and reliable media service available." "Rural broadcasters face significant challenges in raising private funds, making them particularly vulnerable if government funding is cut," they wrote. Others have said they're concerned about cuts to the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a program started under former President George W. Bush. In total, the package would pull back $8.3 billion in foreign aid. Several Republicans have also raised concerns privately that the package oversteps the balance of power between Congress and the executive branch, because the request targets funds previously approved by lawmakers and because the proposal itself, in some cases, leaves out details on specifically what would change. However, House leadership praised the effort as an easy way to deliver on promises to cut federal spending. "We all ran on the government has a spending problem," GOP conference chair Lisa McClain, R-Michigan, told USA TODAY on June 9. "We're talking about $9.4 billion. This is a no-brainer."
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
House GOP approves first batch of DOGE cuts
House Republicans voted on Thursday to claw back billions of dollars in federal funding for public broadcasting and foreign aid, locking in the first set of slashes made by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The chamber approved the legislation — known as a rescissions package — in a 214-212 vote, greenlighting $9.4 billion in cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which DOGE went after earlier this year, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funnels dollars to NPR and PBS. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) hailed the package as a large step forward in the GOP's quest to bringing down the $36 trillion — and growing — deficit. 'Today's House passage of this initial rescissions package marks a critical step toward a more responsible and transparent government that puts the interests of the American taxpayers first,' Johnson said in a statement after the vote. 'It is just one of the ways Republicans are codifying DOGE's findings and putting taxpayer dollars to better use.' Despite the emphasis on the legislation, passage was not a sure thing: A handful of Republicans, largely moderates, voiced concerns with the package in the days leading up to the vote, taking issue with cuts to public broadcasting, slashes to the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) — first established during the George W. Bush administration — and the overall effort undermining Congress's authority. But in the end, only four GOP lawmakers joined all Democrats in voting 'no,' giving the package enough support to squeak through the chamber. The bill's fate in the Senate, however, remains unclear. A cohort of Republicans have aired qualms with some of the provisions in the measure — namely cuts to public broadcasting — prompting questions about whether the package will ever make it to President Trump's desk for signature. In accordance with the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, the bill is subject to a simple majority in the Senate, meaning Republicans can only afford to lose three of their own and muscle it through the chamber, assuming all Democrats vote no. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said the body is unlikely to turn to the issue until July, after the party finishes its work on its 'big, beautiful bill' of tax cuts and spending. 'We'll do reconciliation first so I would expect that rescissions package probably will be a July timeframe,' Thune said, adding that the Senate 'could' tweak parts of the legislation when it comes to their hands. For now, however, the successful vote marks a win for Johnson, who brought skeptical Republicans on board to pass the bill, and hardline conservatives, who upped the pressure on leadership to codify the DOGE cuts amid their deficit concerns. And it came at an interesting moment for the Republican Party: Trump and Elon Musk, the brainchild behind DOGE, had a fierce falling out last week, which began with the billionaire criticizing his marquee bill and quickly devolved into personal insults. The two have since begun showing signs of a potential détente. Musk earlier this week said he had 'regret' for some of his social media posts about Trump that 'went too far,' and the two spoke by phone, according to multiple reports. Trump is seeking to claw back $8.3 billion in foreign aid as part of the request, targeting dollars for items like migration and refugee assistance that the administration says support activities that 'could be more fairly shared with non-U.S. Government donors,' USAID efforts they say have been used to 'fund radical gender and climate projects,' and development assistance they argued 'conflict with American values' and 'interfere with the sovereignty of other countries,' among other rescissions. The administration also calls for eliminating funding for the United Nations Children's Fund, U.N. Development Program and the U.N. Population Fund under the proposal, as well as the World Health Organization and 'portions of the U.N. Regular Budget for the U.N. Human Rights Council and the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.' The plan additionally calls for rescinding $535 million in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides some funding to NPR and PBS, in both fiscal 2026 and 2027. The proposed $1.1 billion clawback for public broadcasting funds has sparked concern from Republicans in both chambers, who have sounded alarm over what the cuts would mean for local stations and those in rural communities. However, Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.), a spending cardinal and co-chair of the Public Broadcasting Caucus, has pushed the administration to reconsider the proposed rescissions to public broadcasting programs. 'You ask yourself, well, is it easier for the national people to raise money, or is it easier for the affiliate in Reno or wherever?' Amodei said to reporters this week, while also saying, 'Of the total funding that was pre-funded for 26 and 27 we've been told 70 percent of that gets passed through to local TV stations.' Other Republicans, however, have suggested that lawmakers could make further changes to protect local stations after the bill passes if needed, and some have argued that stations could also raise funding from outside sources. Paula Kerger, the president and CEO of PBS, knocked the cuts to public broadcasting after the vote. 'The fight to protect public media does not end with this vote, and we will continue to make the case for our essential service in the days and weeks to come,' she said. 'If these cuts are finalized by the Senate, it will have a devastating impact on PBS and local member stations, particularly smaller and rural stations that rely on federal funding for a larger portion of their budgets. Without PBS and local member stations, Americans will lose unique local programming and emergency services in times of crisis.' While the special rescissions process has not been frequently used in the last two decades, Trump also tried to use the maneuver to yank back funds in his first term without success, despite Republicans having control of the House and Senate at the time. Republicans are optimistic history won't repeat itself as they navigate their first trifecta in years. '[Trump's] done this before, and they've got a great team, I think, in place,' House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole said last week. 'They've thought about these things a lot in the time in between His first and his second term.' 'And there's no question, the President has much more influence inside the Republican Party than he had during his first term,' he added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
12-06-2025
- Health
- The Hill
House votes to cut global health funding
The Big Story The House on Thursday narrowly passed a 'recissions' proposal to cancel $9.4 billion in money Congress already appropriated, including $900 million in funding for global health initiatives. Four Republicans voted against it. © AFP via Getty The vote codifies cuts championed by the Department of Government Efficiency, which was led by billionaire Elon Musk. It includes slashing $500 million of the $6 billion appropriated in fiscal year 2025 for global health programs like the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) that are within the Department of State and $400 million of the $4 billion appropriated for USAID global health programs. Included in that plan is ending all funding for Gavi, a global program that purchases shots to help vaccinate children in developing countries against some of the world's deadliest diseases. PEPFAR is seen as one of the most successful U.S.-led international aid programs and has typically enjoyed bipartisan support. It's credited with having saved 26 million lives and enabling 7.8 million babies to be born without HIV infection. Global health experts and proponents of PEPFAR have said the cuts will have a devastating impact on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. It would endanger access to lifesaving antiretroviral medication and put millions of children and adults at risk. The White House wants to phase down its investment in PEPFAR and have other countries absorb most of the cost. 'It is something that our budget will be very trim on because we believe that many of these nonprofits are not geared toward the viewpoints of the administration, and we're $37 trillion in debt,' White House budget director Russ Vought told appropriators last week. 'So, at some point, the continent of Africa needs to absorb more of the burden of providing this health care.' Advocates agree the program wasn't meant to last forever, but the groundwork hasn't been done to make sure PEPFAR can be transitioned successfully. The White House plan would cut off funding without a plan. But the Senate will have the final say on how sweeping the clawbacks are. Congress has 45 days to act, and not every Republican senator is on board. Senate Appropriations Committee chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) has said she is opposed to PEPFAR cuts, and others have expressed concern about the other funding cuts in the package, like public broadcasting programs. Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter, we're Nathaniel Weixel, Joseph Choi and Alejandra O'Connell-Domenech — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: Prenatal exposure to 'forever chemicals' may raise blood pressure during teen years: Study Humans exposed to toxic 'forever chemicals' before birth may exhibit higher blood pressure during their teenage years, a new study has found. This connection was particularly pronounced in boys and in children born to non-Hispanic Black mothers, scientists observed in the study, published Thursday in the Journal of the American Heart Association. While previous research has shown these synthetic compounds may affect a rapidly … CDC backtracks, will rehire more than 450 people it laid off The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is rehiring about 460 employees who had previously been laid off, according to an email notice reviewed by The Hill. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) confirmed on Thursday that reinstatement notices were sent but provided few other details. 'The Trump Administration is committed to protecting essential services—whether it's supporting coal … Trump's former surgeon general rips RFK Jr.'s purge of vaccine board President Trump's former surgeon general blasted Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s decision to fire the entirety of a federal advisory committee on vaccine guidance, saying the move jeopardizes public health and threatens public trust in health institutions. In an op-ed published by Time, former Surgeon General Jerome Adams wrote that Kennedy's recent actions cast doubt over his pledge … In Other News Branch out with a different read: Cassidy in a bind as RFK Jr. blows up vaccine policy Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has put Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) in a political bind, squeezed by his loyalty to President Trump and commitment to medicine. Cassidy, the chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, publicly wavered over Kennedy's confirmation, sharply criticizing his views before eventually voting for him. Cassidy said he secured a series … Around the Nation Local and state headlines on health care: What We're Reading Health news we've flagged from other outlets: What Others are Reading Most read stories on The Hill right now: Republicans lay groundwork for 'total tax cliff' at end of Trump's term Congressional Republicans are laying the groundwork for a tax cliff at the end of President Trump's term in office. While the conference is pushing … Read more Padilla forcibly removed from Noem press conference, handcuffed Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was forcibly removed and then handcuffed after he interrupted a press conference Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem … Read more What People Think Opinion related to health submitted to The Hill: You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
DOGE cuts pass House, despite some GOP opposition
WASHINGTON — The House advanced the first round of requested spending cuts from the Trump administration in a narrow party-line vote, overcoming the first hurdle to enact a slew of recommendations made by the Department of Government Efficiency earlier this year. Lawmakers voted 214-212 to approve the $9.4 billion rescissions package specifically targeting foreign aid as well as federal funding for organizations the Trump administration has accused of being anti-conservative. The package now heads to the Senate, which will have until July 18 to approve the requests otherwise the halted funding must be continued. All four members of Utah's House delegation voted in favor of the package. The fate of the bill appeared to be in peril when six Republicans initially voted against the measure on the floor, setting it up to fail. However, GOP leaders huddled with holdouts on the floor and managed to get two of those defectors to flip. The package looks to cut $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a nonprofit organization authorized by Congress in 1967. Every year, Congress appropriates funds to the CPB which are then distributed to more than 1,500 public media stations through community service grants. The spending cuts specifically target stations such as PBS and NPR, which the Trump administration claims unfairly target conservatives and the Republican Party. The package also cuts funding to the United States Agency for International Development, which provides foreign aid, as well as funds for the World Health Organization. The bill proposes millions of dollars in cuts to the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a program started under the George W. Bush administration focusing on the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. The rescissions package would cut more than $8 million dedicated to the program. Those provisions initially put the package in murky territory as several moderate Republicans opposed cuts to the programs, specifically pointing to PEPFAR as 'one of the most successful public health programs in the world.' Other Republicans questioned the slashed funding to public broadcasting stations, citing strong relationships with their local news outlets. The package now heads to the Senate where it must be passed within 36 days to adhere to rescissions rules. Otherwise, the funds must be unfrozen and allocated to the appropriate agencies. The package will only require a simple majority in the Senate as rescissions packages are exempt from filibuster rules, relieving Republicans from needing to rely on any Democrats to help pass Trump's proposed cuts.
