Senate Advances Controversial Bill to Slash Public Media Funding, Final Vote Imminent

In a critical move, the Senate has advanced a package aimed at rescinding $1.1 billion in allocated funding for PBS, NPR, and other public media outlets. The vote on Tuesday evening saw Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote, 51-50, to push the rescissions package to the floor for a final vote.

Three Republican senators—Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Mitch McConnell (R-KY)—joined all Democrats and independents in opposing the measure. However, the bill, which seeks to zero out federal funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), moved forward with a final vote expected within the next couple of days, with a congressional deadline approaching this Friday.

The package, championed by the Trump administration, is part of a broader effort to claw back over $9 billion in total funding, including cuts to foreign aid and health programs. Proponents, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, argue that public media exhibits a liberal bias and that taxpayer dollars should not fund it, citing changes in the media landscape. Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD), initially on the fence, supported the package after assurances of continued grants for tribal radio stations.

Conversely, opponents, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), warn of severe consequences, especially for rural and Native communities that rely on public broadcasting for essential services like weather alerts, local news, and educational programming. Schumer criticized the cuts as a false guise for eliminating waste, suggesting they are meant to fund tax cuts for billionaires.

This Senate action follows the House’s approval of the package last month by a narrow 214-212 vote, setting the stage for a high-stakes final decision that will determine the future of federal funding for public media.

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