Tri-Caucus Leaders Sound Alarm on Cuts to Public Broadcasting

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

July 15, 2025   

PRESS CONTACT:

Rafael Bernal (CHC): rafael.bernal@mail.house.gov

James Kwon (CAPAC): james.kwon@mail.house.gov 

Freedom Murphy (CBC): freedom.murphy@mail.house.gov 

Tri-Caucus Leaders Sound Alarm on Cuts to Public Broadcasting 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Chairs of the Congressional Tri-Caucus—Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Rep. Yvette Clarke (NY-09), and Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13)—led a letter urging Senate leadership to reject President Trump’s rescissions package that includes over $1 billion in cuts for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). 

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting supports the operations of more than 1,500 locally operated public television and radio stations nationwide and funds high-quality, educational content for children and underserved communities. Examples of CPB-funded programming include well-known shows such as “Sesame Street,” “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” “Reading Rainbow,” “Clifford the Big Red Dog,” “PBS NewsHour,” and “Frontline.” 

The rescissions package requested by President Trump and passed by House Republicans would claw back $1.1 billion in funding for the CPB that Congress had already approved on a bipartisan basis. If passed by the Senate, this rescissions package will shutter local radio and TV stations that provide news, educational programming, and emergency alerts for millions of Americans, including families without access to reliable broadband, cable, or streaming services. These cuts may take place as soon as this fall, leaving children across the country without access to educational content. 

“CPB’s elimination would decimate public media infrastructure, as the vast majority of its funding goes directly to local stations, many of which rely on it for over half their operating budgets. In rural and tribal areas, this would shut down stations that serve as lifelines for public safety, education, and culturally relevant programming,” wrote the lawmakers. “Eighty percent of Native American and Alaska Native communities are rural or remote, and public television is often the only station reaching them consistently.” 

The federal government is the largest single funding source for public television and radio stations. Every state in the country is set to lose millions in funding for local public radio and TV stations if the rescissions package passes the U.S. Senate in its current form. 

“At a time when misinformation and division are on the rise, public media remains one of the most trusted institutions in America. Slashing its funding won’t save taxpayer dollars as promised; it will cost Americans access to education, safety, and connection,” the lawmakers continued. “We urge you to reject this shortsighted and dangerous proposal and protect public media for the communities who depend on it most.” 

A PDF copy of the letter is available here. 

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About the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) 

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) is 43 members strong. The CHC serves as a forum for the Hispanic Members of Congress to coalesce around a collective legislative agenda. The Caucus is dedicated to voicing and advancing, through the legislative process, issues affecting Hispanics in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. For more information, please visit chc.house.gov.