July 19, 2025
Dear Friends,
Over the past several weeks, Donald Trump and his Republican allies have done more than anyone in our nation’s history to gut government services and undermine the financial security of American families. Even with Elon Musk no longer part of the Trump administration, the GOP has remained loyal to his slash-and-burn approach to critical federal programs — with their so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill” enacting the largest cuts to health care and food assistance in American history.
This week, Republicans doubled down with a new bill that codifies many of DOGE’s cuts into law. Once again, the GOP followed the President’s lead, pushing through a “rescissions package” that cancels billions in already-allocated funding for public broadcasting, foreign aid, and more — setting an alarming precedent and revealing just how much power congressional Republicans have handed over to Donald Trump.
The legislation enacted this week includes $1.1 billion in cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which supports NPR, PBS, and their over 1,500 local affiliates across the nation — like WAMC and WMHT here in our Capital Region. By law, 70% of CPB’s funding must go directly to these locally owned and operated stations. Like Trump’s attacks on other media outlets whose coverage he dislikes, this move is nothing more than a petty, personal vendetta against his perceived “enemies” — with no regard for the vital services CPB provides to millions of Americans.
Independent public broadcasting is a cornerstone of any healthy democracy, providing access to critical information, educational programming, and emergency alerts — a particularly essential lifeline as severe weather events grow more frequent. In fact, nearly three in four Americans say they rely on public radio for emergency updates and public safety news. Yet instead of focusing on protecting families, lowering costs, or improving life for working people, Trump and his GOP allies are using their power to go after Elmo and Big Bird.
The package also claws back nearly $8 billion in already-allocated funding for life-saving foreign aid programs — slashing support for the World Health Organization, refugee relief efforts, USAID nutrition initiatives, and much more. For decades, American aid programs have served as a beacon of hope and a source of security around the world, saving countless lives by fighting hunger, defending human rights, and responding to global health crises. Shamefully, Republicans are now willing to toss that legacy aside just to appease Donald Trump.
All $9 billion in funding canceled by Congress this week had already been approved — with bipartisan support — in both the House and Senate. But the moment Donald Trump decided he no longer wanted to spend these funds, Republicans rushed to do his bidding. This sets a dangerous precedent, effectively ceding Congress’s constitutional power of the purse and handing over control of the federal budget to the President — jeopardizing every lawmaker’s ability to deliver for their constituents. With the enactment of this package and the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” congressional Republicans have dropped any pretense of constituent service. Instead, they’ve reduced themselves to rubber stamps for the whims of Donald Trump.
While the President’s allies work overtime to satisfy his demands to slash essential services, Trump is simultaneously wreaking havoc on the economy in a myriad of other ways. With his reckless tariffs already driving up inflation — especially for food and other necessities — Trump announced plans this week to impose additional tariffs on more than 150 small countries, compounding the 10% surcharge Americans already pay on imported goods.
Meanwhile, President Trump has once again threatened to illegally fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, putting the independence of our central bank at risk and sending markets into turmoil. On both of these fronts, congressional Republicans have shown no willingness to rein in the President — leaving American families to bear the consequences of his economic chaos alone.
Throughout his time in the White House, Donald Trump has consistently prioritized his own personal grievances over the needs of the American people. Republicans in Congress have been all too willing to go along with this backward agenda — abandoning their own constituents and following Trump’s orders to the letter. But even as they once again bow to the President’s demands, I’ll keep fighting to defend the essential programs that serve my constituents, strengthen our nation, and protect our planet.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates, announcements, and recommendations from governments and agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- Indoor air quality is a critical determinant of health outcomes — and with wildfire season approaching, many Americans may soon be at risk from degraded air quality in their homes.
- That’s why the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a new video: “Do It Yourself! How to Build a DIY Air Cleaner.”
- This video demonstrates how to build a DIY air cleaner of your own that can be used during emergencies, such as wildfires, and in other situations when products of known performance (like commercially available portable air cleaners) are unavailable or unaffordable.
- Although they should not serve as a permanent alternative to commercially available air cleaners, do it yourself (DIY) air cleaners can be a great short-term solution to filter harmful particles from the air.
- EPA has evaluated three common DIY air cleaner designs which have been shown to effectively reduce levels of particles in indoor air.
- This video demonstrates how to build each of these designs.
- To learn more about air cleaners and air filters in your home, click HERE!
