A bill that would claw back $1.1 billion in federal funding for public broadcasting cleared the House Rules Committee, setting it up for a floor vote later this week.
The Trump administration sent a rescissions package to Congress last week that rescinded funding to foreign aid programs, along with public broadcasting. If the bill passes, it will zero out $535 million in fudning to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting over the next two fiscal years, even though it was already allocated. The CPB is the non profit corporation set up by Congress to distribute federal funding to public media stations, PBS, NPR and other entities.
It’s still unlcera whether Republicans have the votes for the rescissions package to pass. Some moderate GOP lawmakers have expressed opposition to the funding rollback, including Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV), who joined a statement with Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) opposing the cuts. Amodei and Goldman chair the Public Broadcasting Caucus.
Public media advocates, including the leaders of NPR and PBS, have sounded the alarm over the threats that the funding loss would have to stations in particular, including those in rural areas.
Democrats on the Rules Committee made the same points, with some noting that outlets in GOP districts will be hard hit.
The stations “provide the information nobody else does,” said Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM).
As expected, the Rules Committee voted 8-4 along party lines to advance the legislation.
If the rescissions package passes, it then will go to the Senate, where a simple majority would be enough to send the legislation to Trump’s desk.
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