The House just voted to cut $1.1 billion for public broadcasting. Local stations say it’s a “punch to the gut.”

Hi,

The House of Representatives voted to cut $1.1 billion for public broadcasting — and now it's up to the U.S. Senate to decide the fate of public radio and television.1

Local stations are calling these cuts a "crisis," a "punch to the gut," and a potential "death sentence."2

However, we've gotten some good news from the U.S. Senate, where two Republicans already said they will oppose the bill as currently written.3 If we can get just two more Republicans to join Democrats in voting no, then we can stop these cuts and save public media.

Demand Progress has mobilized tens of thousands of people to help stop these cuts, but this could be our last chance to help save public radio and television.

Will you make a donation to support our work, including our efforts to save public radio and television?

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Local public radio and television stations across the country rely on the federal government for as much as half of their budget.4

The public radio and television CEO in Scranton, Pennsylvania, said, "If the rescission package passes the Senate, I'll need to fill at least a $1.2 million budget gap immediately. It will devastate the programs and services our community relies on."5

It's the same story in hundreds of communities across the country.

Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski has said she will not vote for these cuts, emphasizing the importance of "warning systems for natural disasters, power outages, boil water advisories, and other alerts" for her constituents.6 Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins says she's a no on the cuts as currently written as well.7

We just need two more no votes, and more than enough GOP senators have expressed concerns to get us over the finish line. The Republican-controlled Senate blocked a similar package of budget rescissions from Trump in 2018.

Demand Progress Action is working to flood Capitol Hill with petition signatures and phone calls to help stop these cuts, but the deadline for the vote is July 18. Now is the time to chip in and help us mobilize the grassroots support to save public broadcasting.8

So we're asking you today: Will you donate $10 to support our work, including our efforts to save public radio and television?

With gratitude,

The team at Demand Progress Action

Sources:
1. NPR, "House narrowly passes bill to claw back $1.1 billion from public media," June 12, 2025.
2. WHYY, "Pennsylvania public media affiliates weigh impact of possible cuts after U.S. House votes to defund them," June 13, 2025.
3. MSNBC, "Why Senate Republicans might not let Trump give back $9.3 billion," June 16, 2025.
4. Politico, "‘Catastrophic’: Rural public media stations brace for GOP cuts," June 12, 2025.
5. WHYY, "Pennsylvania public media affiliates weigh impact of possible cuts after U.S. House votes to defund them," June 13, 2025.
6. NPR, "Partisan battle lines form over Trump's plan to defund NPR & PBS," June 4, 2025.
7. Axios, "PEPFAR cuts may get altered in Senate," June 12, 2025.
8. Politico, "Congress has until July 18 to act on Trump’s request to claw back $9.4B," June 5, 2025.

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