[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 119 (Thursday, July 10, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4309-S4310]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                               Rescission

  Mrs. MURRAY. 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.''
  Let's not forget that 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 by basically saying that trillions 
of dollars in tax cuts for billionaires are free.
  This farce is only getting worse because now do you know what 
Republicans are turning to? 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 $4 trillion in 
debt--that is trillions with a ``t''--so that they could give massive 
tax breaks to the richest people in the country. They would have added 
even more to that debt if they hadn't cut over $1 trillion in 
healthcare and nutrition assistance for millions of Americans.
  But now that it has passed, now that they have 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? 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 megadonors was nothing--
literally nothing. Now these same Republicans say that local news, 
which provides crucial information in emergencies, is just too 
expensive to support. Now these same Republicans say that we 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 the Republicans passed last week.
  This rescissions package is not just bad because many Republicans are 
trying to have it both ways on deficits and the debt now; it is just 
plain bad on the substance. These cuts hurt our communities, and they 
hurt our country.
  Let's start with the 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 that give them local news you simply cannot find 
anywhere else. It is 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 that 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.
  Then, of course, there was the recent tragedy in Texas and a flooding 
in New Mexico. These were incredibly deadly floods. My heart goes out 
to all of the families who were affected, especially those who lost 
loved ones, and my deep gratitude goes out to our first responders. I 
am committed to helping those communities recover, to coming together 
like we always do as a nation after a tragedy.
  While we learn more now about what is needed, one thing that all of 
our communities need is a strong emergency response system. One thing I 
can tell you is, 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, won't make 
anything better.
  Don't even get me started on how this rescissions bill will hurt free 
educational programming for countless kids. We are talking about shows 
that kids and parents love. But after saddling our country with 
trillions in debt for billionaires, many Republicans are saying: There 
is just not a penny left for our kids. Sorry. We are going to feed Big 
Bird to the fat cats.
  That is the message Republicans are sending here. This isn't quite 
how they would put it on ``Sesame Street,'' but America knows that 
message is brought to you by the letters ``BS,'' and it is so 
dangerously shortsighted. Talk to any parent. They will warn you that 
if the Republicans' cuts end up canceling free, high-quality 
programming that is thoughtfully developed to get kids thinking and 
growing their curiosity, there is an alarming amount of

[[Page S4310]]

low-quality junk to fill that void--content that is instead carefully 
engineered to keep kids watching and shorten their attention spans.
  Actually, do 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 kids 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?
  So 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 that matter is that these are investments that pay off 
for our own country, from supporting American farmers and companies 
that provide the food assistance that saves lives; to stopping 
dangerous viruses and epidemics while they are still far overseas, away 
from us, 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 
is worth saying that it is the right thing to do as well.
  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 have got to get those corporate executives 
a bigger bonus,'' only to turn around next week 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 that this is just a luxury 
or just charitable work. Our farmers know better. Americans who 
contract infectious diseases abroad know better. The companies in our 
States that work overseas to stabilize conflict-affected communities 
alongside the DOD 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 a half a percent of our GDP 
on foreign assistance. Today, we spend less than half that.
  Keep in mind that cuts proposed here are really a drop in the bucket 
compared to the tsunami of spending and tax giveaways that Republicans 
just passed. I mean, you could cut every single penny the U.S. has 
spent on foreign assistance since World War II, and it would not add up 
to the cost of the tax cuts the Republicans passed last week. And that 
is 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 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 that 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 the 
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 and turn our focus squarely 
to the job ahead: writing bipartisan, full-funding appropriations 
bills.
  Do you know what? If there is a discrete pot of funding that is not 
being spent well, if there are cuts that make sense to include, if 
there are things that need to be updated and things that need to be 
reformed, let's have a conversation about what makes sense to rescind 
and improve as we write those bills in committee, the way we have 
always done.
  My Democratic colleagues and I have said for months that we are 
willing to discuss rescissions in our bipartisan spending bills. We 
have done this in a bipartisan fashion for years no matter who has been 
in the White House or which party has had the majority in either 
Chamber.
  My commitment to Chair Collins and my colleagues on the other side of 
the aisle remains the same: I am 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 rescissions 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 decisions there.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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