House Committee Advances $1.1B Public Broadcasting Cuts Amid GOP, Dem Opposition

House Republicans are preparing to vote on a $9.4 billion rescissions package that includes $1.1 billion in cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which funds NPR, PBS, and local affiliates. The Trump administration argues the funding is wasteful and criticizes public media for political bias, seeking to eliminate these expenditures as part of broader cuts including $8.3 billion in foreign aid. However, bipartisan opposition is growing, with Republican Rep. Mark Amodei and Democrat Rep. Dan Goldman, co-chairs of the Public Broadcasting Caucus, jointly opposing the rescission, emphasizing that many rural communities rely on public broadcasting as their only reliable media source. They note that public broadcasting represents less than 0.01% of the federal budget and that cutting its funding would not significantly reduce the deficit but would dismantle vital information sources for millions, especially in rural areas. The House Rules Committee has advanced the bill along party lines, but it remains uncertain whether the rescissions package will pass the full House, given some moderate Republican resistance. Advocates warn that cutting CPB funding jeopardizes local jobs and the survival of rural stations that face challenges raising private funds.