1. United States
2. N.C.
3. Letter

I am writing again to urge your continued support for public broadcasting funding, given the House’s narrow 214-212 vote on the rescission bill. Recent polling shows that 43% of Americans believe NPR and PBS should continue receiving federal funding, while only 24% support ending it. More importantly, about 20 percent of Americans live in an area without any other local news coverage other than their local public radio station. In our increasingly fragmented media landscape, public broadcasting serves as essential infrastructure for informed democracy. The proposed cuts would devastate rural communities that depend on public media for emergency alerts, local news, and educational programming. Here’s where it gets absurd: Republicans are fighting tooth and nail to eliminate $1.60 per American annually from public broadcasting while considering spending bills in the trillions. Whatever happened to the party of common sense and fiscal priorities? Cutting public broadcasting to address our national debt is like trying to drain a bathtub with a teaspoon while the faucet is running full blast. I respectfully urge you to fervently oppose the rescission and to continue defending this vital public service that has served Americans faithfully for over 50 years. Thank you for your consideration.