Chuck Schumer: “last night, while Americans were asleep, Senate Republicans gutted critical funding for local TV and radio, for foreign…”

“last night, while Americans were asleep, Senate Republicans gutted critical funding for local TV and radio, for foreign aid that keeps America safe, all to keep paying for their billionaire tax cuts. On the very same day that communities in Alaska turned to public radio and TV for tsunami warning updates, Republicans in Washington voted to take that funding away. It is senseless, it is cruel, and just defies common sense. Republicans have become the party of ``cut, cut, cut now, ask questions later; cut healthcare for 17 million Americans; cut food assistance for hungry kids; cut good-paying energy jobs, let Beijing get ahead of us.'' Never mind that kids will go hungry or that families will lose insurance or that people get sick and die. Make no mistake--make no mistake--just like with the ``Big Ugly Bill'' the more Americans learn about what Republicans just did in this rescission package, the more they won't like it and the more Republicans will squirm. We saw a lot of squirming last night. When parents see Republicans just axed educational programming, when people see Republicans just axed ``Sesame Street'' to pay for tax cuts for billionaires, when rural Americans see Republicans not just betrayed them and defunded public radio--sometimes the only source in rural areas so vital to natural disasters, it is the only news source there--the consequences will be severe. Americans will remember. Democrats will ensure that they don't forget.”