Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. is expected to spar with other senators on spending cuts backed by President Donald Trump this week.
The House recently approved a package that would cut $9.4 billion in funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and some global public health programs.
Some senators, including Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine., does not support cutting the programs that have already been funded through bipartisan efforts, according to The Hill newspaper.
“As I made very clear at the hearing, there’s a lot of what the Corporation for Broadcasting does that I support, such as the 70% of the money that goes to local stations,” Collins told the news outlet. “They maintain the emergency alert system, they do local programming — such as, in Maine, there’s a very popular high school quiz show.”
The “rescissions package” would have to be on Trump’s desk by July 18 if the cuts are going to be made.
Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said he would not support the package unless changes are made to protect tribal radio stations in South Dakota.
“At this stage of the game, I’ve already told them that I am a no unless we get this resolved one way or another,” he said, according to The Hill.
