[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 90 (Thursday, June 30, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1399-E1400]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND 
               RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2006

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. TIM RYAN

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 23, 2005

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill, (H.R. 3010) 
     making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health 
     and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies for 
     the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other 
     purposes:

  Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in recognition of House 
Amendment 343 to House Resolution 3010, to restore full funding to the 
Corporation of Public Broadcasting.
  The passage of this amendment preserves public broadcasting, a 
longstanding American tradition. This amendment enables the Corporation 
of Public Broadcasting to continue providing countless benefits to our 
society, including unbiased and nonpartisan information and news, 
educational and developmental programming and services, and arts and 
entertainment to the American public.

[[Page E1400]]

  I would like to commend my fellow colleagues on their cooperation and 
nonpartisanship in voting to preserve the American institution of 
public broadcasting. I was unable to vote on the amendment because I 
was paying my respects to the family of a brave soldier who made the 
ultimate sacrifice for his country in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  I am strongly against the cuts proposed by House Republicans that 
were even more severe than the President's suggested budget cuts. While 
the President recommended a cut of approximately ten million dollars in 
funding to the Corporation of Public Broadcasting, the House 
Appropriations Committee and other subcommittees recommended a total 
cut of $246.2 million, or 44.9 percent of the current funding. While I 
recognize the importance of fiscal responsibility, especially in the 
midst of a severe budget deficit, I believe that we must properly 
prioritize funding provided by taxpayer dollars. The majority of 
Americans, according to a recent poll, rank public broadcasting as the 
second most important publicly provided service, after military 
defense; additionally the majority of Americans believe not only that 
their tax dollars are well spent on public broadcasting, but actually 
support an increase in its funding.
  The proposed cuts to public broadcasting are clearly contrary to 
public opinion. Moreover, these cuts would result in the loss of 
invaluable services that Americans trust and rely upon, and would harm 
local economies in the form of closed local stations and lost jobs. For 
these reasons, I celebrate the passage of this amendment, and pledge my 
support to continuing funding the Corporation of Public Broadcasting.

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