1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

The White House's plan to ask Congress to rescind $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is deeply concerning. This move could effectively eliminate almost all federal support for essential public media organizations like NPR and PBS, which provide invaluable educational programming, trusted journalism, and vital emergency communications services that millions of Americans rely on. While government funding accounts for only a portion of NPR and PBS's budgets, the proposed cuts would have devastating impacts, particularly on local stations that depend heavily on this funding to sustain their newsrooms and pay for programming. Public media plays a crucial role in fostering an informed citizenry and promoting democratic values, which should be safeguarded rather than undermined. Federal funding for public broadcasting has historically enjoyed bipartisan support, recognizing the invaluable role these institutions play in our society. Rescinding such a significant portion of their funding would jeopardize their ability to fulfill their mission of serving the public interest. We urge Congress to reject this rescission request and instead reaffirm its commitment to preserving and strengthening public media in the United States.