1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

Public media is facing its most immediate and serious threat yet. The House has passed a rescissions package that would claw back $1.1 billion in public media funding already approved by law. If enacted, the impact on local stations would be swift and severe. The Senate will take up the bill next. Send a message now urging your Senators to vote against rescinding public media funding. Clawing back this funding – about $1.60 per person each year – wouldn’t just force stations to scale back – it would dismantle essential services that countless communities count on. From life-saving emergency alerts to local reporting and storytelling, and educational resources that support families, job seekers and teachers – these services exist because public media is committed to serving everyone, regardless of income or zip code. In many rural and underserved areas, the loss could be total. Stations could shut down entirely, leaving entire communities without access to trusted, essential information. Most Americans stand with public media. In fact, a recent Pew Research Center poll found they’re nearly twice as likely to support continued federal funding as oppose it. Now it’s our job to speak up and make sure the Senate hears us: clawing back support from local stations would leave communities less safe, children less prepared for school, and all of us less connected. We won’t let that happen.