Durbin Slams White House Rescissions Package That Slashes Critical Foreign Aid And Public Broadcasting Funding
In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin calls out the Trump Administration’s proposal to slash $9.4 billion in funding from strategic foreign aid programs and public broadcasting
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) delivered a speech on the Senate floor detailing the vicious, shortsighted $9.4 billion in cuts to foreign aid and public broadcasting proposed by the Trump Administration in a rescissions package meant to codify the destruction of federal agencies by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In his remarks, Durbin laid out the specific programs the package will cut, including bipartisan efforts to address HIV/AIDS, support new democracies, and provide unbiased and local news.
“On Tuesday, President Trump sent Congress proposed rescissions… Where has the President suggested we cut a very miniscule percentage of the federal budget to fund deficit-busting tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy? From bipartisan programs [to] programs that both parties have supported for years,” Durbin began. “[It cuts] Programs that help the poorest in the world survive, even lead a normal life [while] suffering from HIV and AIDS; that help countries become healthy democracies and trading partners; [that] support peacekeeping efforts to prevent the spread of war and migration; programs that counter Chinese influence and help stem the flow of illicit drugs; and from radio and TV stations that provide news for America.”
“Now you ask the average person on the street… what percentage of the federal budget do you believe is spent on foreign aid? The guess is usually 10 to 20 percent. It’s less than one percent,”Durbin said. He noted that historically in Congress, there was an understanding that modest efforts like these, “were the right thing to do by both political parties.”
Durbin underscored the importance of soft power, which fortifies the United States’ relationship with allies, builds trust with other nations, and creates markets for American goods.
“By helping stem pandemics and war and helping countries become healthy, free market democracies, we’re actually helping our own country. We’re stopping wars and upheavals before they start and spill over borders, alleviating the future need to send our troops into harm’s way, strengthening our own national security at home by mitigating instability around the world,” Durbin said. “We are creating allies in the process and trading partners for U.S. farmers and other American businesses that make for good jobs here at home.”
“That is why Ronald Reagan and John McCain, no pushovers, understood the incredible power and strategic value of helping countries across the globe become free, democratic, and prosperous,” Durbin said. “So why in the world would we cut such low cost but impactful programs?”
Durbin then called out the rescissions package’s attack on funding for public broadcasting, which is critical to providing Americans, especially those in rural areas, with unbiased local news, educational programming, and emergency alerts.
“While President Trump claims that eliminating funding for public media will end PBS and NPR’s so-called ‘woke’ agenda… he fails to understand that more than 70 percent of this funding goes to local public media stations,” Durbin said. “In rural communities, these publicly funded news stations are often the only place to get good, up-to-the-minute information and to have the kind of warnings that are necessary when extreme weather is on the way.”
“Without public broadcast funding, how will Kansans and Texans get tornado alerts? How will children who lack access to preschool in Idaho or South Dakota be able to receive any education before kindergarten?” Durbin said.
Durbin concluded his remarks, making it clear that this rescission package should be rejected by his Senate colleagues.
“These cuts make no sense, and I call on my Republican colleagues, in a bipartisan fashion, to look at the impact they going to have across America,” Durbin said.
Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.
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