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Floor Speech

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Mr. LUJAN. Mr. President, I want to thank my friend from Illinois Senator Durbin for his leadership and commitment to saving public broadcasting and educational programming for Americans all across our beautiful country.

Now, unfortunately, just yesterday in New Mexico, the Rio Ruidoso rose to nearly 20 feet in a matter of minutes amid heavy rainfall, sweeping away homes, debris, and people. The flooding claimed the lives of three people already, including two children. Rescue missions are currently underway. The same area was also ravaged by a wildfire just last year. Our first responders are working around the clock to protect their neighbors and ensure help arrives when every second counts.

Now, if it weren't for the strict rules in the U.S. Senate on the floor, I would be playing audio right now--audio from the mayor of Ruidoso, Mayor Crawford, who was speaking to his constituents on KRUI's ``The Mountain'' radio program.

Now, Mayor Crawford told his residents:

We did have over 30 swift water rescues . . . have some folks taken to the hospital.

We have been up and down trails looking at the homes that have been torn up there . . . these people have been in these homes for 70-plus years.

We're issuing alerts and warnings to get to higher ground.

These are the alerts that communities in Ruidoso and other parts of the country need when disaster strikes. They save lives.

Many of us in this Chamber have witnessed the devastation caused by natural disasters in our own States, in our own communities. Now, tonight, I am praying for all those families across Texas, for a safe return of those who are missing and for those who lost loved ones.

New Mexico is far too familiar with devastation and destruction that comes from fires and flooding and other natural disasters. Three years ago, we experienced one of the worst fires in our State's history, with the Hermit's Peak and Calf Canyon fire. A critical part of that response was our local radio stations and public broadcasters disseminating information in realtime about evacuations, shelter information, food drives, and State and Federal resources.

As a matter of fact, at a time when mobile phones weren't working-- most communications were down--it was only these local radio stations, which were also benefiting from the transmitters from public broadcasting, that were able to communicate with so many constituents. These communications are now under attack by congressional Republicans and the White House.

Senate Democrats are sounding the alarm and leading the charge to stop this dangerous rescission package before it harms families, communities, and the public broadcasting that they all rely on. From the moment we wake up to the time we turn in at night, New Mexicans rely on radio and public broadcasting to stay safe during natural disasters and to connect with trusted news, educational programming, and our favorite New Mexico musicians--sometimes even a basketball game or two.

Now, over the past several weeks, I have received texts, calls, and people coming to my office pleading with us in the U.S. Senate to save public radio and public broadcasting. New Mexicans who work at radio stations are calling in to say that they are worried about losing their jobs. From every corner of our State, New Mexicans are speaking out with one clear message: Do not mess with public broadcasting.

Radio is one of the most dependable ways to get information out when disaster strikes a community. I have witnessed this firsthand. That is why the Federal Government must do everything it can to support families in crisis and ensure that they have the resources and information they need to stay safe. Stripping $1.1 billion from public broadcasting puts millions of lives at risk, including first responders and families who depend on emergency radio systems and public broadcasts to stay informed and stay safe.

Now, I heard from a broadcaster in New Mexico this week who said:

We are literally saving lives and finding ways to save more. Please do everything you can to stop this rescission.

Now, the White House and congressional Republicans are making decisions that will leave New Mexicans in the dark.

A teacher in Albuquerque shared with me that she relies on public broadcasting in her classroom every day. Parents have shared that they use public media to teach their children about New Mexican culture, history, and tradition.

These stations are central to community life. They provide unbiased news, local reporting, and educational programming that connects people to each other and to the world.

Yet Republicans are trying to eliminate public broadcasting to strip communities of trusted information. If this Republican rescission package goes through, it will only divide us further: fewer voices, fewer facts, fewer connections.

Americans are pleading not to be left in the dark. I urge my colleagues to listen to them and to vote against this reckless cut to public broadcasting.

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