Schumer Says Cutting NPR and PBS Funding Risks Lives in Rural Storms

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer warned that eliminating federal funding for NPR and PBS would put public safety at risk, saying the issue is “a matter of life and death.” He argued that, in many rural communities, public-broadcasting stations remain the only reliable source of emergency weather information. Rep. Morgan McGarvey underscored the point, noting that in parts of rural Kentucky seconds can determine whether families reach safety during severe storms. His comments followed Schumer’s assertion that cutting support for public broadcasting could have “devastating consequences” for residents who depend on it for timely disaster alerts. The remarks were made as lawmakers debate the future of federal support for public-broadcasting services.