Political Quotes

On the recordApril 22, 2026
my colleague from Kentucky is right that this bill is unfunded, that it adds to the deficit and adds to the debt. And maybe the best way to address that is not to send $70 billion to two Agencies that are sitting on top of $103 billion right now of unobligated funds. They couldn't even get started spending that massive amount from H.R. 1 last year. But blindly slashing away at scientific research when China is producing four times the patents that we are producing each year, blindly slashing away at Pell grants, which, under this proposal, would be equal to 2 million individual students losing their Pell grants-- that is the type of detailed work that needs to be done in the authorizing committees and in the Appropriations Committee. This slash- and-hack strategy is way off base.
Said by
Jeff Merkley
Democratic · Oregon

Editor's note · Context

Discussing the implications of a bill related to funding and education on the Senate floor.

Share

More from Jeff Merkley

Aug 20, 2026

Medicaid enrollees have a right to expect that their private information will be safeguarded and not employed for mass deportation campaigns.

wyden.senate.gov
Aug 7, 2026

We cannot afford to go backwards and make Americans’ health worse.

wyden.senate.gov
Jul 31, 2026

This is a five-alarm fire. It’s wrong under every moral code.

commondreams.org
Aug 5, 2026

The Pentagon routinely fails audits without consequences, enabling fraud, waste, and abuse.

wyden.senate.gov

Other voices in this conversation