In an early morning Thursday vote, the Senate passed $9 billion in federal spending cuts, including more than $1 billion in cuts to NPR and PBS.
The passed legislation would remove $1.1 billion in funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. That figure represents what the CPB was slated to receive over the next two budget years.
The vote to pass the cuts was split largely along party lines. Those voting against the move included all Senate Democrats, who were joined by Republican Sens. Susan Collins (ME) and Lisa Murkowski (AK).
Murkowski’s vote against the cuts came after NPR stations served as a lifeline to Alaska residents about an impending tsunami after a 7.3 earthquake struck roughly 50 miles off the coast of Alaska. She called the situation “a reminder that when we hear people rant about how public broadcasting is nothing more than this radical, liberal effort to pollute people’s minds, I think they need to look at what some of the basic services are to communities.”
Cuts to NPR and PBS come after a new Harris Poll survey shows that 66% of Americans believe that public radio should receive federal funding. The support isn’t limited to only one side of the political aisle. 77% of self-identified Democrats responded favorably to federal funding continuing to NPR. Meanwhile, 58% of Republicans responded similarly.
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