Communiqué
UPDATE: Wednesday June 18, 5:30 pm – Rescission package heads to Senate Appropriations Committee
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Wednesday, June 18, 5:30 pm
The Senate Appropriations Committee will hold a hearing next Wednesday, June 25, at 2:30 pm ET on H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025 – the package that passed the House last week.
It has been reported that Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), Chair of the Appropriations Committee, deferred to leadership as to whether a mark-up will occur in a subsequent hearing, in which amendments could be offered. The June 25 hearing is intended to be an opportunity for Senators to understand and debate what is in the package. Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought is slated to testify.
Update
Sunday, June 15, 10:00 pm
PBS released the following statement after the House of Representatives voted to claw back federal funding already appropriated to the public media system.
“The fight to protect public media does not end with this vote, and we will continue to make the case for our essential service in the days and weeks to come. If these cuts are finalized by the Senate, it will have a devastating impact on PBS and local member stations, particularly smaller and rural stations that rely on federal funding for a larger portion of their budgets. Without PBS and local member stations, Americans will lose unique local programming and emergency services in times of crisis.
“Our work is only possible because of the bipartisan support we have always received from Congress, support we have earned by providing services that cannot be replaced by commercial media.
“During this process we have heard from millions of people from across the country who rely on PBS and local member stations for information and educational media that can’t be found anywhere else, and we know that the American people will continue to stand up in support of our work as we turn our attention to the Senate.”
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Update:
Thursday, June 12, 9:00 pm
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Despite hundreds of thousands of calls and emails from viewers and listeners like you, the House has passed a rescissions package that would claw back $1.1 billion in previously approved public media funding, starting in just a few months with FY26. This isn’t the outcome we hoped for, but the strength of our network’s opposition has been nothing short of remarkable. Through every challenge, you’ve stood up for WOUB Public Media and the essential services we provide. We are profoundly grateful for your continued support. Now we turn to the Senate – our last chance to stop these devastating cuts. The bill only needs 50 votes to become law. That means fewer barriers, faster action, and greater risk to WOUB and Public Media stations across the country. The Senate has the power to stop this, but only if we raise our voices, loudly and clearly, once again. We don’t yet know exactly when the Senate will take up the measure, but they have until July 18. When they consider the measure, swift action will be critical. We’ll share next steps as soon as we know more. If you want to make your voice heard now, you can send an email to your Senators. |
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Thank you for every action you’ve taken and for continuing to fight for a service that opens doors for children, informs and enriches the lives of Americans, and keeps our communities safe. Public media matters to Americans. And together, we’re proving just how much. |
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Update:
Thursday, June 12, 4:12 pm
WOUB and the millions of America’s who use and rely on Public Media across the country came up short this afternoon as only four Republicans joined all Democrats in attempting to defeat the proposed rescission package. The bill will now be sent to the Senate. The deadline for passage in the Senate is July 18, 2025 for the rescission to take effect.
Kate Riley, President and CEO of America’s Public Television Stations, made the following statement on the U.S. House of Representatives vote to approve a rescissions package defunding public media funding:
“America’s Public Television Stations are deeply disappointed that the House voted to completely defund the local public television stations throughout this country that provide exceptional lifesaving public safety services, proven educational services and community connections to their communities every day for free. The vast majority of these devastating cuts will be borne by local public media stations and the communities that rely on them — many of which have no other access to locally controlled media.
“Federal funding is essential to ensuring that all Americans have universal access to the exceptional public services that local stations provide regardless of zip code or income level. This includes the over 160 locally operated and controlled public television stations that serve communities small and large throughout this country. All of this will be in jeopardy if the rescissions package passes the Senate.
“This destructive rescission of Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) funding – the substantial majority of which goes to local stations – will result in immediate and serious cuts of stations’ local services and in some cases the total closure of stations, particularly in rural communities. Public broadcasting is a lifeline in hundreds of communities where there is no other source of local media.
“Rescinding previously appropriated federal funding for public broadcasting defies the will of the American people and threatens to devastate the public safety, educational and local service missions of public media stations – services that the American public values, trusts and relies on every day.
“The federal investment in public media enables us to provide the delivery of geo-targeted wireless emergency alerts to cell phones, and the only nationwide situational awareness tool used by public safety officials to track and monitor the effectiveness of those alerts.
“We support families in preparing their kids for success in school and life with free, universally accessible, proven educational content, including for the over 50 percent of U.S. kids that don’t attend formal preschool. These are services that American families rely upon every day. In fact, according to a recent YouGov survey, 82% of voters, including 72% of Trump voters, said they valued PBS for its children’s programming and educational tools.
“And we connect communities, celebrating their hometown heroes and local history, while coming together to address present day issues and charting a course for a bright future.
“These services are essential for the American people and worthy of the federal investment, which amounts to about $1.60 per person per year and less than one 1/100th of a percent of the federal budget.
“Federal funding for public media is irreplaceable and essential to local public media stations and the existence of the public media system as a whole.
“Public media has earned the broad support of the American people, across the political spectrum, including 65% of people who voted for President Trump who think public television is either adequately funded or underfunded, according to a recent YouGov survey.
“America’s Public Television Stations now look to the U.S. Senate to reflect the clear will of the American people and the long history of bipartisan support for our work, and continue the federal investment in local public television stations’ essential missions of public safety, education and community connections.”
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Update:
Thursday, June 12, 2:30 pm
Debate on the H.R. 4 package has begun in the House. You can view the proceedings via the House website.
We still expect the vote to begin around 3:15pm ET.
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Update:
Thursday, June 12, 12;45 pm
The House vote on the rescission proposal that would claw back public media funding is officially scheduled to take place this afternoon, at around 3 p.m. ET.
Yesterday, Politico reported that three Republican House members – Representatives Malliotakis (NY-11), Valadao (CA-22), and Bacon (NE-02) – have joined Public Broadcasting Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Amodei (NV-02) in opposing the bill. While this is an encouraging development, House leadership is expected to continue pressuring all members to support the package – including those who have expressed opposition. That’s why continued outreach remains essential.
Only a simple majority is required for the bill to pass. If it clears the House, it will move to the Senate for consideration.
With only hours remaining, this is the final window to mobilize calls to the House – especially to Members who have expressed concern about this proposal or may still be undecided.
To call your lawmaker, follow this link.
To send your lawmaker an email, follow this link.
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Update:
Wednesday, June 11, 8:50 pm
The House will hold the vote on H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025, tomorrow, Thursday June 12, around 3:15pm ET to pass or reject the bill that rescinds $1.1 billion in funds previously approved for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The House will vote up or down with both public media and PEPFAR included in the package.
After that vote, if it passes, the bill will move to the Senate for consideration. As noted last week, the Senate Parliamentarian has established July 18, 2025, as the deadline by which the proposal must pass the House and Senate to take effect.
Tomorrow is scheduled to be the last day of votes before the House departs for a week-long recess. Votes could potentially run later if more time is needed to wrap up all business.
As a reminder — if you have not already communicated to your lawmaker what the impact of rescission would be to your community, please do so immediately so that they can understand how their vote will affect you and their constituents’ access to trusted, local news, educational programming, lifesaving emergency alerts, and noncommercial music that brings people together.
If you have reached out recently to your lawmaker, please consider doing it again with another message or call.
We thank you for your ongoing support.
To call your lawmaker, follow this link.
To send your lawmaker an email, follow this link.
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Update:
Wednesday, June 11 5:04 pm
The House held a vote today at 4:15pm ET to open debate on H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025. The procedural vote passed 213 to 207. It is expected the vote on the final measure will occur tomorrow, and we will attempt to provide an update when the vote is scheduled. Several lawmakers have expressed concern about this package, and we continue to encourage outreach to lawmaker offices.
For rescission to proceed, the House must pass the bill by a majority, at which point it will move to the Senate for consideration.
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Update:
Wednesday, June 11 10:30 am
The House opened today at 10:00am ET, and the first and only vote scheduled today will be at 4:15pm ET. This House daily schedule indicates that the rule for H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025, will be considered.
A procedural vote on the rule must occur before a vote on the final measure.
Several Members of Congress have expressed concerns over the last week about the reconciliation bill and the provisions contained within, but we do not expect this to affect their vote on the rule. Once the rule passes, debate will begin on H.R. 4 and we expect a final vote on the bill sometime tomorrow, Thursday June 12.
As mentioned before, for rescission to proceed the House must pass the bill by a majority, at which point it will move to the Senate for consideration. As noted last week, the Senate Parliamentarian has established July 18, 2025, as the deadline by which the proposal must pass the House and Senate to take effect.
If you have not already communicated to your lawmaker what the impact of rescission would be on WOUB, please do so immediately so that they can understand how their vote would affect their community and their constituents’ access to trusted, local news, educational programming, lifesaving emergency alerts, and noncommercial music that brings people together.
If you have reached out recently to your lawmaker, please consider doing it again with another message or call.
To call your lawmaker, follow this link.
To send your lawmaker an email, follow this link.
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Update:
Tuesday June 10, 9:00 pm
The House Rules Committee met today to consider H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025, and passed a closed rule with no amendments, sending the rescission package to the complete House floor for a vote. We anticipate knowing more Wednesday morning about the specific timing on the schedule for the rescission vote on the House floor.
While some amendments were filed in the committee, including two amendments filed by Public Broadcasting Co-Chair Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) and Rep. Julie Johnson (D-TX) to take the public media rescission out of the bill, no amendment was made in order — meaning, no amendments will be considered on the floor.
The process on the floor will consist of two votes: a vote on the rule to consider the measure, and the final vote on H.R. 4. The House will vote up or down with both public media and PEPFAR included in the package. Early indications suggest the procedural vote will occur on Wednesday, with the vote on the bill to occur on Wednesday or Thursday.
For rescission to proceed, the House must pass the bill by a majority, at which point it will move to the Senate for consideration. The Senate Parliamentarian has established July 18, 2025, as the deadline by which the proposal must pass the House and Senate to take effect.
Between now and Thursday, June 12, it is critical for lawmakers to hear from the public. Please consider calling or writing and expressing your support for WOUB. Members of Congress have expressed concern with the rescission proposal, and it is vital that they understand the public is behind them in opposing this harmful legislation.
If you have not already communicated to your lawmaker what the impact of rescission would be on WOUB, please do so immediately so that they can understand how their vote would affect their community and their constituents’ access to trusted, local news, educational programming, lifesaving emergency alerts, and noncommercial music that brings people together.
If you have reached out recently to your lawmaker, please consider doing it again with another message or call.
To call your lawmaker, follow this link.
To send your lawmaker an email, follow this link.
As always, thank you for your support of WOUB Public Media.
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It’s official: The White House has asked Congress to claw back previously approved federal funding for public media, threatening the existence of WOUB and public media stations across the country.
While Congress has 45 days to consider the proposal sent on Tuesday June 3, the House is expected to act swiftly, possibly within days. If lawmakers fail to approve it — or can’t get the votes to pass it — the funding will be restored.
Federal funding makes up 25% of WOUB’s operating budget. Another 16% of WOUB’s indirect costs are covered by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (Infrastructure, music copyright, interconnection equipment, etc.). Without it, life-saving emergency alerts, proven educational resources for families, trusted local journalism/storytelling, enriching cultural programs, local sports and music programs, and the national content you’ve come to rely on could be eliminated.
If Congress decides to defund public media, small rural stations across the country could be forced off-air entirely, leaving some areas without access to community information and life-saving emergency alerts.
Multiple studies, including a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, have concluded that there is no viable substitute for federal funding. If lost, the impact would be devastating. The stakes have never been higher.
Our partner, Protect My Public Media, is mobilizing public media supporters to safeguard public media’s future. It will take every supporter speaking up to protect the funding — only about $1.60 per person each year — that ensures public media remains available to everyone. With the House potentially acting soon, calling Congress now is more important than ever. Visit ProtectMyPublicMedia.org to make your voice heard before it’s too late.
To call your lawmaker, follow this link.
To send your lawmaker an email, follow this link.
As always, thank you for your support of WOUB Public Media.