Washington (July 17, 2025) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today issued the following statement after Senate Republicans passed a rescissions package that claws back more than $9 billion in congressionally appropriated funding, including over $1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and $500 million from global public health programs. Senator Markey spoke on the Senate floor in support of his amendment that would have protected children’s educational programming from GOP cuts. Republicans defeated the amendment.

“In the middle of the night, Republicans once again bent the knee to their wannabe King Donald, rubberstamping his cruel and callous cuts while robbing kids and communities of free, high quality public programming.

“Republicans are making a Clifford-sized mistake by choosing Donald Trump and multi-billionaires over Daniel Tiger and Masterpiece Theater. By eliminating public media funding, Republicans are silencing rural broadcasters. They are stripping communities of essential emergency alert infrastructure. They are taking away trusted educational programming from millions of children. And by gutting global public health programs, they’re abandoning vulnerable populations around the world.

“The consequences of this reckless package will be felt for years to come. But I am committed to ensuring that characters like Arthur and Molly of Denali can continue to educate our children, and that public radio and television stations can continue to connect and protect people in every community across America.”

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