WASHINGTON – June 3, 2013 – Patrick Butler, president and chief executive officer of the Association of Public Television Stations (APTS), made the following statement today on the passing of Senator Frank Lautenberg:
“The public television community were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Senator Frank Lautenberg. Senator Lautenberg was the last of the ”greatest generation” to serve in the Senate, along with such statesmen as Phil Hart, Howard Baker, Dan Inouye, Bob Dole and many others who returned from their service in World War II and entered public life for the express purpose of keeping America safe, its economy strong, its government effective, and its influence beneficial in the post-war world.
“He was also a staunch and stalwart champion of public broadcasting and our mission of education, public safety, well-informed citizenship and the preservation of American history and culture.
“We mourn the loss of Senator Lautenberg, but we celebrate his long and useful life in the service of his country.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, and our gratitude to Senator Lautenberg for his unwavering support of NJTV and local public broadcasters nationwide.”
Senator Lautenberg served on public broadcasting’s most influential committees in the Senate, the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and the Appropriations Committee. Senator Lautenberg consistently voted in support of public broadcasting and signed onto public broadcasting’s annual programmatic request funding letters addressed to the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee.
About APTS
The Association of Public Television Stations (APTS) is a nonprofit membership organization established in 1979. The mission of APTS is to conduct – in concert with member stations – advocacy, planning, research and communications activities in order to achieve strong and financially sound noncommercial television and advanced digital services for the American people. APTS provides consistent leadership and information that helps our members better accomplish their own missions and goals. Through its affiliate APTS Action, APTS promotes the legislative and regulatory interests of noncommercial television stations at the national level through direct advocacy, and grasstops and grassroots campaigns designed to garner congressional support. For more information, visit www.apts.org.
###