US President Trump signing an executive order. Yonhap News

The Trump administration's proposed $9 billion (approximately 12.5 trillion Korean won) budget cut for international aid and public broadcasting cleared a hurdle in the U.S. Congress on the 18th (local time).

According to the Associated Press and other outlets, the House of Representatives passed the rescission bill by a vote of 216 in favor and 213 against, after it was passed with some amendments in the Senate and sent back to the House.

While a large number of Democrats voted against the bill, only two Republicans, Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (Pennsylvania) and Mike Turner (Ohio), opposed it.

The bill had passed the House on the 12th of last month but required reconsideration by the House after amendments were made during the Senate's deliberation process on the 17th of this month.

The majority of the cut (approximately $8 billion) is for international aid programs, and the $1.1 billion in two-year funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which finances public radio NPR and public television PBS, was also included in the reduction.

The bill, having passed through Congress, now awaits President Trump's signature.

President Trump has been pushing for budget cuts, viewing U.S. international aid programs as wasteful. He has also criticized NPR and PBS as being biased towards progressive viewpoints, leading to calls for budget reductions.

Republican Representative Aaron Bean praised the move, stating, "We've taken a small step to reduce wasteful spending, but it's a giant leap for fiscal soundness."

Yonhap News