Senate votes to kill entire public broadcasting budget in blow to NPR and PBS

In a significant decision, the U.S. Senate has voted to revoke two years of funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), posing a serious threat to public radio and television services nationwide. The CPB, a nonprofit organization funded by the government, plays a crucial role in supporting NPR and PBS stations across the country. The vote, which concluded with a narrow margin of 51-48, was part of President Trump's proposed rescission package. This legislation aims to cut $1.1 billion earmarked for public broadcasting for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. All votes in favor came from Republican senators, while two, Susan Collins from Maine and Lisa Murkowski from Alaska, opposed the cuts. The funding in question includes $60 million designated for upgrading and replacing the public broadcasting interconnection system along with other essential infrastructure for public media. CPB CEO Patricia Harrison expressed grave concerns, stating that the loss of federal support could force numerous local public stations to shut down. This would limit access to quality educational resources for children and reduce the availability of reliable information for millions of Americans, impacting their ability to make informed decisions about their lives. Furthermore, the rescission package also targets funding for various agencies, including the State Department and USAID, totaling a $9.4 billion reduction overall. The Senate's approval of these cuts sets the stage for a final decision in the House, which had previously backed a similar proposal last month. In an attempt to safeguard public broadcasting, Senator Tammy Baldwin introduced an amendment to maintain funding, but it was rejected in a 52-47 vote. Murkowski, who raised concerns regarding the implications for emergency alerts during disasters, was the only Republican to support this amendment. She also proposed a separate amendment to restore funding for the CPB while preventing any federal money from reaching NPR, although this proposal was also defeated.