Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO5)

After spending hundreds of millions of dollars annually, should taxpayers still be funding PBS and NPR?

Context

PBS and NPR, the publicly-funded television and radio station respectively, both rely on a combination of taxpayer dollars and donor funding. Congress’s most recent two-year funding appropriation gave $445 million to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the umbrella organization which primarily funds both PBS and NPR.

However, PBS and NPR have both been decades-long bete noires to lots in the Republican Party, many of whom accuse the television and radio organizations of beingleft-leaning propaganda funded by taxpayers. Analyses of media bias actually rank both outlets as among the most neutral among prominent national media organizations, both ranking just the slightest bit left of center.

The Trump Administration has consistently proposed ending such taxpayer funding through its annual budget request, including in 2019. However, that aforementioned $445 million appropriation was passed by an entirely Republican-controlled Congress.

What the bill does

A new bill would entirely defund taxpayer money from PBS and NPR, as the Trump Administration has called for.

The legislation, which does not appear to have an official title, was introduced in the House on June 20 as bill number H.R. 3393 by Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO5).

What supporters say

Supporters argue that the status quo is a waste of taxpayer dollars that could go towards better uses. Social conservatives also criticize recent programming and content decisions made by the two networks, most prominently a same-sex wedding featured in an April episode of the PBS children’s cartoon Arthur — an episode specifically mentioned in the congressional sponsor’s press release arguing for defunding.

“Enough is enough. Recent programming on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) has offended many conservative and religious taxpayers who do not want the children inculcated with liberal viewpoints on sensitive topics,” Rep. Lamborn said in the press release. “The Constitution does not grant the federal government the authority to subsidize any media conglomerate. Let’s bring an end to forcing Americans to subsidize media programming that is unconstitutional.”

What opponents say

Opponents counter that PBS and NPR are vital parts of American culture and education, which make the relatively small taxpayer appropriation well worth it.

“At approximately $1.35 per citizen per year it is one of America’s best infrastructure investments — paying huge dividends in education, public safety and civic leadership for millions of Americans and their families,” Corporation for Public Broadcasting President and CEO Stacy Harrison said in testimony before the House Appropriations Committee.

“The federal investment in public media is indispensable to sustaining the essential public service mission of America’s public media stations defined by community-based accountability and universal service,” Harrison continued.

“The appropriation is vital seed money — especially for stations serving small towns and rural America, as well as those serving underserved populations where the appropriation can represent as much as 80 or even 100 percent of their budget.”

Odds of passage

The bill has attracted nine House cosponsors, all Republicans. It awaits a potential vote in the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Passage is unlikely in the Democratic-controlled House, especially considering the Trump Administration’s identical funding request was rejected even by the Republican-controlled House in 2017 and 2018.

This article was written by GovTrack Insider staff writer Jesse Rifkin.

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