[VT – Philadelphia] On July 15, the Chairs of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) — Representatives Grace Meng, Yvette Clarke, and Adriano Espaillat — jointly sent a letter urging Senate leadership to oppose President Trump’s rescissions package, which includes over $1.1 billion in cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
The CPB funds more than 1,500 locally operated public television and radio stations across the U.S., providing high-quality educational and cultural programming such as Sesame Street, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, PBS NewsHour, and Frontline. These services are especially vital for children and underserved communities.
The rescissions package, already passed by the House, would eliminate federally approved funding for CPB for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. If enacted, it could force local public stations to shut down, cutting off news, educational content, and emergency alerts to millions of Americans—particularly those in rural and tribal areas without access to reliable broadband or cable.
The lawmakers stressed that CPB funding accounts for over half the operating budgets of many local stations, making it a lifeline for public safety, education, and culturally relevant programming. Approximately 80% of Native American and Alaska Native communities live in rural or remote areas where public broadcasting often provides the only consistent access to media.
Public media remains one of the most trusted institutions in the U.S. and plays a crucial role in combating misinformation and fostering social cohesion. The lawmakers warned that cutting CPB funding would not save taxpayer money as promised but would instead reduce access to education, safety, and community connection.
They urged Senate leaders to reject the proposed funding cuts and protect public media for the millions of Americans who depend on it.
