Luján says radio cuts would hurt in emergency situations

This Tuesday, in a press conference with other Democrats, U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján said proposed cuts to public radio were “disgusting” and would hurt efforts to alert residents about natural disasters.

Hours later the U.S. Senate voted to approve a recessions package requested by President Donald Trump that included the cuts to public broadcasting. Two Republicans voted against the package, but Vice President J.D. Vance cast the tiebreaking vote to advance the effort. It now heads to the House, where it needs to pass before Friday.

Luján cited the recent deadly floods in Ruidoso and Texas as times when relying on mobile phones is not enough.

“Think about those loved ones in Texas in New Mexico, there were more floods and loved ones lost in New Jersey,” he said. “People that depend on getting a radio signal, some kind of information to them when cell phones are not working, mobile phones are out, you can't get a message from anyone else, but it's local AM radio or public broadcasting there are still able to carry a signal to warn you to get out of your home. ‘It's almost time for you to move.’ ‘Get your stuff ready.’ ‘You need to get out of there.’ ‘Something's coming.’”

He said that these stations would be able to “save your life or a loved one’s life or a pet’s life.”

“It's absolutely disgusting the cuts that are taking place right now,” he said.

The rescissions packageTrump requested from Congress would take $1.1 billion away from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting funding already approved for the next two years. 

The package has to pass by Friday, meaning another tough vote for House  Republicans not long after they voted for a massive domestic policy package that included large tax cuts for the richest Americans and substantial cuts to social safety net programs.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also criticized the cuts in the press conference.

“Losing access to local news, radio, and weather alerts, particularly in rural areas, is not popular,” the New York Senator said. “Americans rely on public broadcasting for weather alerts.”

Schumer also mentioned the Texas flooding, talking about problems with the response by FEMA.

“These cuts couldn't come at a worse time right now after we're seeing the devastating tragedy in Texas and we're left with even more questions about what the cuts to to the weather service and to FEMA and what effects they had,” he said. “That's why today I called for a full-scale independent investigation into whether Trump and Secretary Noem’s haphazard policy changes and job cuts delayed aid cost lives.”

Luján said that those in the western United States rely on FEMA for disaster response.

“We need to make sure there's a chapter for fire and the flooding that's going to follow for not just year one but for the next 10 years,” he said.

Other thoughts

Earlier this month, flash flooding resulted in the loss of three lives in Ruidoso, including two children under the age of 10.

The Village of Ruidoso said emergency crews conducted over 50 swift-water rescues during the event.

The National Weather Service has said there is a high risk of thunderstorms in the Ruidoso Area Complex with burn scars from the Blue 2, South Fork, Salt and McBridge burn scars.

There is a very high chance of thunderstorms over the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon burn scar on Thursday and a high chance on Friday and Saturday.