They promised that this was "just the beginning" of broader efforts by Congress to cut the federal budget.

The cuts represent only a small fraction of the $1 trillion in annual savings that tech billionaire and former Trump donor Elon Musk promised to find before resigning in May from his post as head of the federal spending review program.

However, Republicans, who recently passed a domestic policy bill that is expected to increase the US debt by more than $3 trillion, said the vote was in line with Trump's campaign promise to curb spending.

"President Trump and Republicans in the House promised fiscal responsibility and government efficiency," House Speaker Mike Johnson said, as quoted by AFP.

"Today, we are once again delivering on that promise," he added.

Both houses of Congress are controlled by Republicans, meaning that the vote in the House of Representatives, with 216 votes in favor and 213 against, shortly after midnight was enough to approve the measure passed by the Senate.

Most of the cuts target programs for countries affected by disease, war, and natural disasters, but the measure also eliminates $1.1 billion that the Public Broadcasting Corporation was to receive over the next two years.

Conservatives argue that the funding, which goes primarily to more than 1,500 local public radio and television stations, as well as public radio and television operators NPR and PBS, is unnecessary and has funded biased coverage of events. | BGNES