WASHINGTON, D.C. – July 27, 2023 – America’s Public Television Stations today applauded the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee for proposing $535 million for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for fiscal year 2026 and $60 million for public media stations’ interconnection system and $53 million for the Next Generation Warning System at FEMA to upgrade public broadcasting stations’ public safety infrastructure in fiscal year 2024. Funding for Ready To Learn will be reported later today.
“America’s Public Television Stations are deeply grateful for the bipartisan support of the Senate Appropriations Committee for this continued investment in the work of public television,” said Patrick Butler, president and CEO of America’s Public Television Stations.
“Working under the challenging constraints of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, the committee nevertheless made clear its enduring endorsement of our public service missions of education, public safety and civic leadership,” Butler said. “The committee also made clear that fiscal responsibility need not mean a federal retreat from institutions which serve the American people in essential ways, as we do.
“We admire and appreciate the leadership of Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), who chairs the committee, and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), the vice chair, in creating an environment in which bipartisan agreements can be reached with spirited but civil debate, constructive compromise, and a decent respect for differing points of view.
“Public television provides the only preschool education there is for 60 percent of America’s children.
“We provide life-saving public safety communications, ranging from early earthquake warnings to Amber Alerts to presidential messages to the American people in times of national emergency, in partnership with federal, State and local authorities.
“And we’re the only media institutions which specialize in telling the stories of heartland America – its history, culture, and civic affairs – one community, one State at a time.
“This is truly essential work, worthy of federal investment, and we’re grateful to Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee Chair Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Ranking Member Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV), and to Homeland Security Subcommittee Chair Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Ranking Member Katie Britt (R-AL), for their leadership in ensuring continued federal support for our missions of public service.
“Today is a good day for us and for all who have yearned to see their leaders working across the aisle to make the world’s most important democracy function as it should.
“We are hopeful that both the Senate and the House will find similar bipartisan agreement as the appropriations process unfolds,” Butler said.
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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.
Contact:
Stacey Karp
202-654-4222
skarp@apts.org