NPR News: 07-16-2025 10AM EDT

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Why is the Senate debating President Trump's request to rescind $9 billion in federal funding?

Kristen Wright 0:01
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Kristen Wright. At this hour, the Senate is beginning to debate President Trump's request to rescind about nine billion dollars in federal funding. The money is earmarked for international efforts to combat famine and disease, as well as the corporation for public broadcasting. The Trump administration is holding back about $140 million allocated by Congress to help communities fight fentanyl and other drug overdoses. Sources inside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tell NPR key life-saving programs are being disrupted. NPR's Brian Mann reports.
Brian Mann 0:40
President Trump has made fighting fentanyl deaths a key part of his second term as he did in his first term. But four CDC staff members, speaking on condition of anonymity because they fear retribution, told NPR roughly $140 million for the overdose dated action program have been held back by the Doge cost cutting team and the Office of Management and Budget. All four said they fear delays will lead to the funding being cut or canceled altogether.

How is the withheld $140 million affecting CDC overdose‑prevention programs?

Brian Mann 1:05
Lives at stake, said one CDC staffer. Trump administration officials haven't responded to NPR's request for comment. Public health departments around the U.S. say they've paused spending on key local and state harm reduction programs until the federal funding is freed up. Brian Mann, NPR News, Washington.
Kristen Wright 1:21
Half of states and the District of Columbia are suing the U.S. Department of Education over its decision to freeze more than six billion dollars in education grants for K-12 schools and adult education. North Carolina is one of those states. Robert Taylor is a superintendent of Wake County Public Schools.

What impact does the freeze on $6 billion in education grants have on schools like Wake County?

Kristen Wright 1:41
His district includes Raleigh and surrounding areas. Taylor spoke to NPR's morning edition.
Robert Taylor 1:47
Without these federal funding um uh allocations, uh it puts us in a position where we have to pivot at a very short notice. Many schools will start in in in late August, uh, but we already have over 40 year-round schools that have started. Uh so having to make that change now is a significant impact.
Kristen Wright 2:05
The Supreme Court ruled this week the administration can resume dismantling the education department while the case plays out. Stocks opened higher this morning. Uh a stocks opened mixed this morning as the Labor Department reported that wholesale prices held steady last month, and Pierre Scott Horsley reports.
Scott Horsley 2:22
Wholesale prices barely budged between May and June.

Why are wholesale prices staying steady while inflation concerns rise?

Scott Horsley 2:26
The wholesale price of goods jumped during the month, but that was offset by the falling price of services. Over the last 12 months, wholesale prices are up 2.3 percent. The news comes a day after the Labor Department reported a jump in inflation at the retail level last month, which is fueled in part by President Trump's double-digit tariffs. Stock in Johnson and Johnson rose after the company reported better than expected quarterly profits. J and J also raised its forecast for the full year. The Drug and Medical Device Maker says it expects some game-changing approval.
Kristen Wright 2:58
This is NPR. There's a court hearing in Tennessee this afternoon for Kilmar Abrego Garcia. The government is accusing him of human smuggling.

What are the implications of the global health funding cut from $80 billion to $38 billion?

Kristen Wright 3:08
He was mistakenly deported from Maryland to El Salvador earlier this year. The judge could order Abrego Garcia released from custody today, but it's unclear what would happen afterwards. Federal immigration authorities federal immigration officials could immediately detain him or start deportation proceedings, or they could keep him in custody as he awaits trial on those smuggling charges. The amount of investment in global health is dropping. A new study published in the Lancet shows funding for twenty twenty six is expected to go down to half of levels in twenty twenty one. And PR's Gabrielle Emmanuel has more.
Gabriela Emanuel 3:47
Global health funding reached a historic peak in 2021 during the COVID pandemic, with some 80 billion committed to international health. Next year, the figure is expected to be 38 billion. That's because the US, the UK, France, and Germany are all cutting back on foreign assistance.

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