A draft budget bill in Congress would maintain level funding for CPB in fiscal year 2021, despite President Trump’s proposal to phase out support for public broadcasting.
The draft FY19 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education funding bill, released Thursday, includes $445 million for CPB for FY21 and would provide $20 million in FY19 for replacing and upgrading public broadcasting’s interconnection system. Trump’s budget also proposed cutting interconnection funds.
“We are grateful for this important vote of confidence in our work in education, public safety and civic leadership in hundreds of American communities,” said Patrick Butler, president of America’s Public Television Stations, in a statement Friday. “These federal funds are indispensable to local public television stations’ public service missions and to ensuring that everyone everywhere in America has access to these essential services.”
Butler added that APTS is waiting for further word on funding for Ready To Learn.
The bill is being considered in subcommittee Friday.