Lawmakers Tell APTS There's No Chance Congress Will Zero Out CPB Funding This Year

Two top House Appropriations Committee Democrats told America’s Public Television Stations Wednesday they intend to again prevent a proposed drawdown of federal CPB funding for FY 2021. President Donald Trump’s administration earlier this month again proposed to zero out the funding (see 2002100056) over two years. CPB federal funding rose $20 million for FY 2020, the first increase in a decade (see 1912170052). Opponents of federal CPB money “lose every time” they try to zero it out “and they’re going to lose again” this year, said House Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey of New York. A funding drawdown “is not going to happen,” said Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut. “It might be a fight every year, but that’s all right.” She noted the final FY 2020 increase for CPB was $30 million below the amount the House originally allocated (see 1903190033), but still a significant hike. APTS is again seeking a $50 million increase for FY 2020. CEO Patrick Butler believes a larger hike might face difficulties (see 2002240044). DeLauro told us she’s “not going to speculate” on whether a further funding increase is feasible this year, but “we’re going to fight” for every extra “dollar we can.” Congressional Public Broadcasting Caucus co-Chair Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., is confident there’s “no chance” Congress passes an FY 2021 appropriations measure that defunds CPB. Blumenauer, former House Commerce Committee Chairman and current Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., and Rep. John Yarmuth, D-Ky., are seeking other House members’ support on draft letter (see 2002250067) urging House Appropriations to increase CPB appropriations to $515 million. “While we deeply appreciate” the $20 million hike approved in FY 2020, “a prior decade of level funding still leaves the program $80 million behind where the [CPB] system was” 10 years ago, in inflation-adjusted dollars, the lawmakers say. Upton and Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, also noted during the event their commitment to seeking bipartisan agreement on CPB funding.