Orlando, FL: The House has approved a Trump administration plan to rescind $9 billion in previously allocated funds, including $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) — a move that cuts all federal support for NPR, PBS and their member stations. Here is Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani’s statement in response:
“Congress just voted to defund NPR and PBS—an outrageous and shortsighted attack on the public’s access to free, fact-based journalism, educational programming, and the arts.As someone who grew up with PBS and NPR, these platforms were my gateway to the world. From “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” to “Morning Edition,” public broadcasting shaped my understanding of community, sparked my curiosity, and helped me make sense of the world around me. For millions of Americans, especially children and families in rural or underserved areas, NPR and PBS are not luxuries; they are lifelines.
This move is part of a broader campaign to erode public trust, silence independent voices, and dismantle institutions that foster civic engagement and informed debate. At a time when disinformation runs rampant, the defunding of public media is not only irresponsible—it’s dangerous.
But we are not powerless. If Congress won’t support public broadcasting, then we must. I’m calling on our community to step up: donate to your local NPR or PBS station, share why public media matters to you, and hold elected leaders accountable for turning their backs on one of the most trusted institutions in American life.
Public media belongs to the people. Let’s fight to keep it that way.”