Ruben Gallego Introduces Bill To Protect Public Broadcasting Funding In Rural And Tribal Communities

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During remarks on the Senate floor Wednesday, Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) introduced a bill to protect public broadcasting funding for rural and tribal communities.

Transcript

00:00The Senator from Arizona, Mr. Gallego, moves to recommit the Bill H.R. 4 to the Committee on Appropriations.

00:05I ask that further even be dispensed with.

00:07Without objection.

00:10Mr. President, cutting funding to the corporation for public broadcasting would devastate local public media,

00:16especially in rural and tribal areas where CBP funds make up the majority of their budgets.

00:21In Arizona, stations like White River and Tuba City rely on CBP for about three-quarters of their funding.

00:26That's especially important since nearly 80% of children in Arizona don't have access to formal preschool,

00:32meaning that for many families, public television is one of their only early childhood education tools.

00:39We shouldn't be pulling the rug out of these children, especially from these communities that are desperately in need.

00:44At the same time, Republicans are proposing these cuts.

00:46They're handing out tax breaks for billionaires and other corporations.

00:50They're sending a clear message that tribal and rural communities matter less than the filthy rich.

00:55They do not need more and more tax cuts.

00:58That's why I move to limit the damage of cutting funds for corporations for public broadcasting

01:02and for tax stations in rural and tribal communities.

01:11The Senator from Missouri is recognized.

01:13Thank you, Mr. President.

01:13Mr. President, I rise in strong opposition to the amendment offered by Senator Gallego.

01:18The overwhelming majority of CPB's funding flows to NPR and PBS.

01:23Entities that have drifted far from their original mission

01:27and now serve as megaphones for partisan left-wing activism.

01:31American taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize programming

01:34that glorifies radical gender ideology in schools

01:38or pushes to defund the police.

01:40Local stations are not without resources.

01:43They already receive revenue from individual donations,

01:46membership drives, corporate sponsorships, and private grants.

01:51On top of that, many states already invest in public broadcasting.

01:54It's entirely reasonable and frankly long overdue to expect

01:57they to shoulder more of the burden here.

01:59This amendment is not about protecting rural radio stations or television stations.

02:03It's about protecting a political agenda with taxpayer dollars.

02:06If adopted, this motion would kill the bill by delaying its consideration

02:10by the July 18th deadline

02:12and stand in the way of Republican efforts to eliminate wasteful spending

02:15and deliver on the President's agenda to the American people.

02:19I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:20I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:22I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:23I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:24I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:25I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:26I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:27I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:28I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:29I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:30I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:31I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:32I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:33I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:34I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:35I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:36I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:37I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:38I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:39I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:40I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:41I urge my colleagues to vote no.

02:42I urge my colleagues to vote no.

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