[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 85 (Thursday, June 23, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H4987-H4988]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                RESTORE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING

  (Mr. MEEKS of New York asked and was given permission to address the

[[Page H4988]]

House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to urge the 
House to restore full funding for public broadcasting. The Republican 
House appropriators' unwise decision to cut funding totaling 45 percent 
is offensive to the millions of Americans who rely on PBS for news and 
information. Parents depend on PBS to provide their children with 
wholesome programming that is educational and free of charge. But not 
only children benefit from PBS. Their programs and services also 
educate adults and engage people in the sciences, history and arts; and 
inform viewers and listeners of local and world events. As a result, 
PBS programming helps Americans engage as literate citizens of their 
respective communities.
  The Republican Party who preaches about family values and morality is 
turning its back on millions of Americans who seek decent, wholesome 
programming free from the smut and violence that has infested the 
airwaves. Only the GOP would assassinate Big Bird, Elmo and Barney with 
one vicious swipe of their mean-spirited, budget-cutting sword.
  It is time that my friends on the other side of the aisle match their 
values rhetoric with their actions and restore full funding for our 
families by giving PBS the Federal moneys it justly deserves.

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