[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1002 Engrossed in House (EH)]


                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                         June 18, 2008.
Whereas the mission of public radio is to create a better informed public that 
        is challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and appreciation 
        of events, ideas, and cultures;
Whereas the programming content created and distributed by public radio is based 
        on 3 core values: qualities of mind, qualities of heart, and qualities 
        of craft, which exemplify the inherent meaning of localism by placing 
        value and financial investment in local and regional assets to gather 
        and distribute a collection of programming that informs and improves 
        community;
Whereas public radio is known for distinctive, award-winning programming that 
        includes ``Morning Edition'', ``All Things Considered'', ``A Prairie 
        Home Companion'', ``Marketplace'', ``Speaking of Faith'', and ``This 
        American Life'';
Whereas America's more than 800 public radio stations serve every State and 
        every congressional district with news, information, cultural, and music 
        programming that are unique to free radio;
Whereas some 33,000,000 Americans listen to public radio programming each week;
Whereas the public radio audience has doubled in the past 15 years and has 
        increased by some 70 percent in the past decade;
Whereas public radio stations are licensed by community foundations, colleges, 
        universities, school boards, libraries, and other local nonprofit 
        entities;
Whereas public radio stations are locally licensed, locally staffed, and locally 
        programmed, and have tailored their programming to meet the needs of 
        local audiences;
Whereas public radio stations on average receive more than 85 percent of their 
        annual funding from local sources;
Whereas public radio's public service finds expression through a deep music 
        discovery, education, and enrichment experience for both its audience 
        and the performers, singer-songwriters, musicians, lyricists, and 
        composers, which places the greatest emphasis on a valued partnership 
        with performers to bring all facets of music into the lives of its 
        audience in a way that is found nowhere else;
Whereas public radio has preserved and enhanced the archetypal musical formats 
        of American music history, such as jazz, classical, folk, bluegrass, the 
        blues, and Celtic;
Whereas public radio is responding to its commitment to community-based and 
        fact-based journalism with several initiatives, including the Local News 
        Initiative, a national effort to increase public radio's service to 
        communities through investments in station capacity to provide in-depth, 
        serious, and balanced news, and Public Insight Journalism, a pioneering 
        concept that uses citizens to help cover the news by sharing their 
        observations, knowledge, and expertise;
Whereas public radio has embraced digital broadcasting technology because of its 
        inherently inclusive nature and potential to expand public service 
        programming; and
Whereas public radio exists to serve the public interest: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses support for the designation of a ``Public Radio 
        Recognition Month''; and
            (2) encourages the celebration of America's public radio stations 
        for their contributions to our Nation's communities and enduring civic 
        spirit.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.