Lee, Tenney Bow Bill to Nix Public Broadcasting Funding, Claw Back Advance CPB Money
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., filed the Defund Government Sponsored Propaganda Act on Tuesday in a bid to end federal funding for NPR and PBS. The measure would also claw back CPB’s advance funding for fiscal…
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years 2025, 2026 and 2027 “to reduce the public debt.” The legislation’s filing follows FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s January call for the Enforcement and Media bureaus to investigate PBS and NPR member stations over possible underwriting violations (see 2501300065). The House Oversight Delivering on Government Efficiency Subcommittee is eyeing a March hearing on public broadcasting (see 2502030064). House Appropriations Committee Republicans attempted to end CPB's advance funding in 2023 and 2024 (see 2407100060). “Americans have hundreds of sources of news and commentary, and they don’t need politically biased, taxpayer-funded media choosing what they should see and hear,” Lee said. “PBS and NPR are free to compete in the marketplace of ideas using donations, but their public subsidy should end.” NPR and PBS “have chosen advocacy over accuracy, using public dollars to promote a political agenda rather than report the facts,” Tenney said. “The Defund Government Sponsored Propaganda Act ensures that federal funding is no longer used to perpetuate the blatant media bias that has overtaken these platforms.” NPR and PBS didn't immediately comment.