WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 13, 2017 - America's Public Television Stations (APTS) president and CEO Patrick Butler issued the following statement today commending the U.S. House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS-Education) Subcommittee for recommending significant funding for public broadcasting:
"America’s Public Television Stations are delighted that the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies has recommended level funding of $445 million for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for Fiscal Year 2020.
"We know how challenging the fiscal situation is for appropriators and the Congress in general, and we are grateful for this important vote of confidence in our work in education, public safety and civic leadership in hundreds of American communities. We’re especially honored that Chairman Tom Cole identified the Corporation for Public Broadcasting among the “popular programs” for which funding is preserved.
"While we very much appreciate this endorsement of CPB funding, we are concerned that the bill as currently drafted does not provide funding for the critical Interconnection system which is the backbone of the public broadcasting system, providing local stations with national programming, connecting stations with each other, and creating efficiencies for our system. We remain hopeful that as the appropriations process runs its course, the needed $55 million for Interconnection in FY 2018 will be provided.
"We await further word on funding for Ready To Learn, in hopes that this vital program which creates and distributes educational media content to millions of preschool children across America, and has been proven to help close the achievement gap between children from low-income families and their more affluent peers, will also be fully funded.
"We commend Chairman Cole, Ranking Member DeLauro, and the full bipartisan membership of the subcommittee for their good work in fashioning this important legislation, and we greatly appreciate the critical support they have provided for the work of local public television stations through this funding for CPB."
About APTS
America's Public Television Stations (APTS) is a nonprofit membership organization ensuring a strong and financially sound public television system and helping member stations provide essential public services in education, public safety and civic leadership to the American people. For more information, visit www.apts.org.
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