The U.S. Senate has approved the White House’s request to cancel 9.4 billion dollars in federal spending on foreign aid and the NPR and PBS broadcasters.

The late Wednesday vote of 51-48 sent the bill to the House of Representatives, which is expected to give its final approval by July 18, CNN reported.

If passed, the draft law would go to President Donald Trump for a signature.

In early June, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced that the White House had sent a request to Congress to cancel 9.4 billion dollars in previously approved spending.

It was identified as “wasteful’’ by the Department of Government Efficiency.

In early May, President Trump signed an executive order to cut off government funding for NPR and PBS for “biased reporting of news.”

On May 27, NPR and a number of Colorado radio stations sued the Trump administration over loss of funding, accusing it of trying to curtail press freedom. (RIA/NAN)