In almost any context, $400 million is a lot. But in the context of what the U.S. government spends each year, it is actually a miniscule amount — less than $1 out of every $10,000 in overall federal spending, in fact.

Remember that for a moment while we bring up something that may seem unrelated.

In 2003, President George W. Bush (a Republican, you may recall) started a program called the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. That program, also known as PEPFAR, is credited with saving 26 million lives so far, primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa.

But if Congress lets Donald Trump have his way, PEPFAR’s budget for this year will be cut by $400 million.

That’s part of a larger attempt by the Trump Regime to claw back $9.4 billion in federal funds Congress had already approved for foreign aid and NPR/PBS.

The United States Constitution could not be clearer in giving the “power of the purse” to Congress. But Donald Trump and far too many Republicans are ignoring the plain language of the Constitution and upending 250 years of American history. In service of rank partisanship and in fealty to their billionaire and Big Business puppet masters, these Republicans are willfully forsaking their duty to the people who elected them and handing their power over to Trump.

Here’s what one of us (Lisa) told the national media:

“This proposal should be a non-starter in Congress. In addition to having devastating effects for actual people, it would mean rubber-stamping a portion of this administration’s reckless and lawless funding freeze — totalling hundreds of billions of dollars — while leaving the rest unaddressed. Members of Congress should be vigorously fighting to re-fund the programs gutted by the Trump-Musk agenda, not issuing a seal of approval for any part of it.”

Tell Congress:

Congress must re-assert its constitutional authority over federal spending. Reject Donald Trump’s attempt to rescind $9.4 billion in funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting that Congress already approved.

Click to add your name now.

Thanks for taking action.

For progress,

- Lisa Gilbert & Robert Weissman, Co-Presidents of Public Citizen

P.S. If you’re wondering where else you’ve seen “$400 million” crop up lately, it also happens to be the supposed value of the gently pre-loved 747 the Qatari royal family is bribing Trump with giving to Trump. Apparently — in the eyes of MAGA — a $400 million luxury jumbo jet for Donald Trump is fine and dandy, but $400 million to fight AIDS all around the world is some kind of fiscal line in the sand.
 
 
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