[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 122 (Wednesday, July 16, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S4414]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 H.R. 4

  Mr. BENNET. Mr. President, as the Senate debates H.R. 4, I would like 
to state for the record two motions I have to address some issues with 
the Rescissions Act of 2025 that I believe the Senate must consider:

       The following are motions to recommit in the jurisdiction 
     of the Committee on Appropriations:
       Mr. Bennet moves to recommit the bill H.R. 4 to the 
     Committee on Appropriations with instructions to report the 
     same back to the Senate in 3 days, not counting any day on 
     which the Senate is not in session, with changes that--
       (1) are within the jurisdiction of such committee; and
       (2) would strike provisions that prevent Americans in rural 
     communities from having access to Wireless Emergency Alerts 
     or presidential emergency alerts.
       Mr. Bennet moves to recommit the bill H.R. 4 to the 
     Committee on Appropriations with instructions to report the 
     same back to the Senate in 3 days, not counting any day on 
     which the Senate is not in session, with changes that--
       (1) are within the jurisdiction of such committee; and
       (2) would strike provisions that prevent American children 
     from having access to civics education or the opportunity to 
     learn about our democratic system of government.

  This legislation would cut $1.1 billion in funding for the 
Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which supports over 1,500 public 
radio and television stations across the country, including over 50 in 
Colorado. Colorado outlets stand to lose over $7.6 million in funding--
with a disproportionate effect for rural and Tribal communities across 
the State. News organizations like Colorado Public Radio, Rocky 
Mountains PBS, and smaller stations like KRZA in Alamosa and KVNF in 
Paonia are at risk. Not only does CPB funding provide needed resources 
for local outlets--the lifeblood of our democracy, responsible for 
ensuring informed debate and holding power to account--but these funds 
also support a wide array of free, easily accessible educational 
programming and resources for our children. Moreover, rescinding these 
funds would jeopardize key elements of our Nation's emergency alert 
architecture, including the Wireless Emergency Alert System and the 
Public Radio Satellite System. This proposal's principal outcome will 
be the further erosion of our local media, the impoverishment of our 
children's educational opportunities, and the dismantling of our 
country's critical emergency infrastructure that saves countless lives 
every year. I urge my colleagues to support these motions and reject 
the legislation before us today.

                          ____________________