H.R. 4

Floor Speech

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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.

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