Nevada's Amodei breaks with GOP, joins Democrats to oppose $9.4 billion spending cuts

U.S. Representative Mark Amodei (NV-02) is interviewed at Heidis Family Restaurant in Carson City, Nevada Monday, April 25, 2022. Photo by: Wade Vandervort

Nevada Republican Mark Amodei joined three other GOP lawmakers and all 208 Democrats in the U.S. House in opposing a $9.4 billion spending cut package on Thursday, but the measure still passed, 214-212.

The House narrowly approved the White House request, known as a rescissions package, to claw back funding for NPR, PBS and international aid that lawmakers had previously appropriated.

Amodei, along with Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Nicole Malliotakis of New York, and Mike Turner of Ohio, broke with their party to reject the cuts.

The package represents President Donald Trump's push to implement government spending reductions, pulling back money that had already received congressional approval for international assistance and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds NPR and PBS operations.

The legislation targets foreign aid funding ($8.3 billion) and public broadcasting support ($1.1 billion).

"I agree we must make meaningful cuts to shrink our federal deficit," Amodei said in a statement. "However, I would be doing a disservice to the thousands of rural constituents in my district if I did not fight to keep their access to the rest of the world and news on the air."

The vote revealed significant cracks in Republican unity, with the measure barely surviving after some GOP members switched their votes to "yes" in the final moments when it became clear the bill might fail without last-minute support.

"Having the ability to discuss real impacts, beyond just the global perspective, is a healthy and necessary step," Amodei said. "I'm sure we will be voting on this again before the cake is fully baked, so I look forward to working with my colleagues to improve and protect this infrastructure our rural communities rely on."