The Senate has initiated a pivotal vote-a-rama on the future of PBS and public broadcasting funding, with significant implications for local media.
Senate Begins “Vote-A-Rama” Ahead of Final Vote on PBS Funding Cuts
The Senate has initiated a day-long process leading to a decisive vote on whether to eliminate all federal funding for public broadcasting. Lawmakers are expected to propose various amendments throughout the day.
The Impact of Proposed Cuts
At stake is the future of the public media ecosystem as Congress evaluates Donald Trump’s proposal for over $9 billion in cuts to foreign aid and public media. This plan includes rescinding $1.1 billion already allocated to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which provides grants to stations, NPR, and PBS, effectively zeroing out the CPB budget over the next two years.
Vote-A-Rama Process
On Wednesday afternoon, the Senate commenced a process known as “vote-a-rama,” allowing members to introduce amendments. Democrats intend to propose several changes aimed at mitigating the impact of the cuts, including continued funding for rural and tribal area stations, emergency alerts, and public safety measures.
Advocacy and Concerns
Public media stations, executives, viewers, and advocates have been actively contacting congressional offices and meeting with lawmakers ahead of the vote. PBS President Paula Kerger stated that without federal funding, it would pose an “existential” crisis for smaller stations, particularly in rural areas. PBS itself would also face significant cuts, despite relying on a small percentage of its budget from direct federal funding.
Advocates emphasize the critical role of local stations in disseminating public safety information, especially during major disasters in areas with limited or no cell service.
Political Dynamics
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) remarked on the Senate floor, “We are not just putting PBS at risk; we are endangering millions of Americans who depend on local media for lifesaving information.” Many Republicans have long sought to end federal support for public media, viewing it as an unnecessary budget expense that could be funded through alternative means. Recently, attention has shifted to alleged bias by PBS and NPR.
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On the Senate floor, Sen. Eric Schmidt (R-MO) expressed that taxpayers would be “mortified” to know their money supports NPR’s leadership, referencing controversial social media posts made by NPR CEO Katherine Maher prior to her appointment. Schmidt noted that while Ronald Reagan attempted to eliminate funding, he was unsuccessful, but now there is a “political will” to proceed with the cuts. Trump has warned that he would withdraw support from any lawmakers opposing the cuts package.
Final Vote Anticipation
The final vote is expected to be closely contested. In a procedural vote on Tuesday, Vice President JD Vance broke a tie to advance the rescissions package to the floor. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) voted against it alongside all Democrats.
Despite some Republican complaints regarding the lack of details on the cuts’ implementation, no other Republicans have publicly opposed the package. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) indicated his intention to vote for it while expressing concerns about potential amendments. He suggested that there should be funding for public media at some point but stated, “I’m not going to fight that part of the rescissions.” If the Senate passes the package with amendments, it will likely return to the House for a vote by Friday, or the funding will remain unchanged.
