On Senate Floor, Murray Slams Rescissions Package, Warning Against Senselessly Abandoning Communities at Home and Leadership Abroad
FACT SHEET: Trump’s Rescission Package Would Gut Bipartisan Foreign Policy Investments
FACT SHEET: Trump’s Rescission Package Would Devastate Local Public Radio, TV Stations Across America
ICYMI: Vought Refuses to Rule Out More Illegal End-Runs Around Congress & Refuses to Detail How Trump Will Execute Cuts If Rescissions Bill Passes—Murray Urges Congress to Reject Package in its Entirety
Murray on claims passing the bill is about fiscal responsibility: “You could cut the equivalent of this bill every single day, for an entire year, and it still would not match the cost of the billionaire tax cuts Republicans passed last week.”
***WATCH: Senator Murray’s floor remarks***
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor laying out the devastation President Trump’s rescission package would cause for local news stations nationwide and their emergency preparedness systems and underscoring how it will gut bipartisan foreign policy investments, ceding America’s global leadership—all while doing nothing to get our “fiscal house in order.”
Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below:
[HYPOCRISY ON DEBTS, DEFICITS, AND “FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY”]
“Mr. President, last week Republicans made the wrong kind of history. That is because, last week, they passed what may well be the single most expensive piece of legislation in the history of our country—all to help the rich and hurt the poor. This should go in the Guinness Book of World Records.
“And let’s not forget, the history doesn’t end there. Because they passed the biggest bill in the history of the Senate with the biggest gimmick in the history of the Senate—basically saying that trillions of dollars in tax cuts for billionaires are free.
“This farce is only getting worse—because do you know what Republicans are turning to now? Do you know what the next order of business in the Senate is? They are going to take up President Trump’s request to slash local news and bipartisan foreign policy investments, in order to ‘balance the debt.’
“That is a serious case of amnesia. Republicans just saddled the national credit card with a $4 trillion in debt—that’s trillions with a ‘T’—so they could give massive tax breaks to the richest people in the country. And they would have added even more to that debt if they didn’t cut over a trillion in health care and nutrition assistance for millions of Americans.
“But now that it is passed, now that they’ve saddled the next generation with loads of debt to help billionaire donors, many Republicans want to return to talking now about ‘getting the nation’s fiscal house in order.’
“Are you kidding me? Do you really think we don’t remember what just happened last week? Well thank goodness for C-SPAN, and we all should review the tape.
“One week ago, Republicans were pretending trillions in debt for tax giveaways to their corporate buddies and mega donors was nothing—literally nothing.
“And now, these same Republicans say local news, which provides crucial information in emergencies, is just too expensive to support.
“Now, these same Republicans say we just can’t afford to continue lifesaving aid that prevents famine and epidemics.
“Even though—keep in mind—we are talking about a sum total of less than 0.14 percent of our overall federal budget.
“The irony is almost as rich as the corporate CEOs who made out like bandits in that big, awful, mess Republicans passed last week.
[DEVASTATING CUTS TO PUBLIC BROADCASTING]
“And this rescissions package is not just bad because many Republicans are trying to have it both ways on deficits and debt now. It’s just plain ole bad on the substance. These cuts would hurt our communities, and they hurt our country.
“Let’s start with local news. Republicans are trying to rip away investments that support over 1,500 local public TV and radio stations. These are stations that serve rural areas, and they give them local news you simply can’t find anywhere else.
“Coverage that matters to people like what community events are coming up, how the school board is preparing for next year, weather and market reports for our farmers, not to mention emergency alerts when a disaster strikes.
“You do not have to look hard to find an example of how important it is we get disaster warnings right. When the devastating wildfires hit southern California earlier this year, public radio broadcasts let millions of people know how to stay safe. When Hurricane Helene battered North Carolina, a local public radio station was the only source of information for many people. And, of course, the recent tragedy in Texas, and the flooding in New Mexico.
“These were incredibly deadly floods—my heart goes out to all the families who are affected, especially those who lost loved ones. And my deep gratitude goes out to the first responders. I’m committed to helping these communities recover. To coming together like we always do as a nation after tragedy.
“And while we learn more about what they needed, one thing all of our communities need, is strong emergency response systems. And one thing I can tell you, when dangers arise cutting local news stations, silencing trusted sources that can push out important warnings when cell towers fail, and your home internet connection goes out—that won’t make anything better.
“And Mr. President, don’t even get me started on how this rescissions bill will hurt free, educational programming for countless kids. We’re talking about shows kids and parents love. But after saddling our country with trillions in debt for billionaires, many Republicans are saying there’s just not a penny left for our kids.
“‘Sorry—we’re going to feed Big Bird to the Fat Cats.’
“That’s the message Republicans are sending. This isn’t quite how they’d put it on Sesame Street, but America knows that message is brought to you by the letters BS. And it is so dangerously short sighted.
“Talk to any parent, they will warn you: If Republican cuts end up canceling free, high-quality programming that is thoughtfully developed to get kids thinking and grow their curiosity, there’s an alarming amount of low-quality junk to fill that void. Content that is instead, carefully engineered to keep kids watching, and shorten their attention spans.
“Actually, you know what? It makes sense. Maybe getting our kids hooked on brain-rot TV is part of the Republican plan. After all, if our children are watching PBS, they might learn to count. And if our kids learn to count how will Republicans ever convince anyone that trillions of dollars in tax cuts are free?
[GUTTING BIPARTISAN FOREIGN POLICY INVESTMENTS]
“I know, let’s not forget President Trump wants Senate Republicans to rip up investments they themselves—they themselves—helped secure to advance America’s global leadership. Apparently being the leader of the free world is now just too expensive.
“The reality of the matter is that these are investments are investments that pay off for our own country. From supporting American farmers and companies who provide the food assistance that saves lives; to stopping dangerous viruses and epidemics while they are still far overseas before they have a chance to threaten American lives; to preventing conflict, avoiding chaos and crisis that can cause a dangerous spiral; to strengthening our ties with key partners and defending our interests in international organizations.
“We don’t just make these investments because they are the right thing to do, we do it because it is the smart thing to do for America.
“But it’s worth saying Mr. President, it’s the right thing to do as well. And it is unthinkably wrong that this president is willing to shell out trillions for some of the richest people in the world, only to turn around and say that less than a penny a day is too expensive to protect hundreds of thousands of little girls from HIV.
“It is wrong for Republicans to say, ‘oh we’ve got to get those corporate executives a big bonus,’ only to turn around and say: ‘oh we don’t really have to worry about the work our farmers do to help those starving kids.’
“It is also foolish to think this is just a luxury, or charitable work. Our farmers know better. Americans who contract infectious diseases abroad know better. The companies in our states who work overseas to stabilize conflict-affected communities alongside DOD, they know better. It is bad strategy and a surefire way to hand China the upper hand.
“But we cannot lose sight of the fact that it is just plain wrong.
“Let’s be clear, if they cut this funding Republicans will not just be turning America away from the world, they will be turning the world away from America.
“Do Republicans really want to cause needless suffering, or slash bipartisan funding, and break commitments we already made together to save a quick buck? Is America’s credibility so cheap to them?
“They talk about peace through strength as if they are carrying on Ronald Reagan’s legacy. Reagan spent about half-a-percent of our GDP on foreign assistance. Today we spend less than half that.
“And keep in mind, the cuts proposed here are really, they are a drop in the bucket compared to the tsunami of spending and tax giveaways Republicans just passed. I mean, you could cut every single penny the U.S. has spent of foreign assistance since World War II and it would not add up to the cost of the tax cuts Republicans passed last week.
[UNDERMINING BIPARTISAN APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS]
“And that’s all saying nothing about how pushing this through won’t just cut bipartisan investments, it will cut out the heart of the basic principles that make bipartisan deals possible.
“How are we supposed to negotiate a bipartisan deal if Republicans will turn around and put it through the shredder in a partisan vote. This entire package next week should be rejected outright. There is nothing about it that is serious—except for the threat it poses to our communities.
“To suggest, even for a second, Republicans are doing this to address the debt is laughable. And I encourage the American people to laugh at anyone who pretends as much. Because you could cut the equivalent of this bill every single day, for an entire year, and it still would not match the cost of the billionaire tax cuts Republicans passed last week.
“So, to my Republican colleagues, instead of doing Trump’s dirty work, instead of doing Russell Vought’s bidding, let’s do our jobs. Reject these partisan cuts to bipartisan funding, turn our focus squarely to the job ahead—writing bipartisan full funding appropriations bills.
“And you know what? If there’s a discrete pot of funding that is not being spent well, if there are cuts that makes sense to include, if there are things that need to be updated, things that need to be reformed, let’s a have a conversation about what makes sense to rescind and improve as we write those bills in committee—the way we’ve always done.
“My Democratic colleagues and I have said for months we are willing to discuss rescissions in our bipartisan spending bills. We have done this in a bipartisan fashion for years—no matter who is in the White House, or which party has had the majority in either chamber.
“My commitment to Chair Collins and my colleagues on other side of the aisle remains the same. I’m willing to work with you to include rescissions in our bipartisan spending bills as we continue to work on the fiscal year 2026 process.
“Instead of moving forward with this partisan rescission package, let’s reject that package and have these discussions and work together. Let’s move forward on the bipartisan appropriations process and address all of those decision there.”
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