[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 27 (Friday, February 18, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E287]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN SUPPORT OF AMENDMENT 325 TO H.R. 1, CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  2011

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DORIS O. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 17, 2011

  Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express support for Amendment 325, 
offered by Mr. Blumenauer, to restore funding to the Corporation for 
Public Broadcasting, and I urge my colleagues to vote in support as 
well.
  Recently, I spoke to one of my constituents who expressed his sorrow 
to me at the prospect of losing public broadcasting services. As he put 
it, he pays less than two dollars a year in taxes for the service, but 
it brightens his day every morning that he listens to his favorite 
public radio shows. To him, it was a simple equation of value for 
money.
  He specifically voiced his support for National Public Radio (NPR) 
and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). NPR is a public-private 
membership media organization that syndicates programming for hundreds 
of public radio stations across the country. Individual member 
stations, such as local university stations are required to be non-
commercial, and educational in nature, and are not required to 
broadcast all NPR programming.
  And despite what I have heard from my colleagues, the truth is that 
only about two percent of NPR funding is directly provided by the 
federal government, under the Corporation for Public Broadcasting 
(CPB), which also funds PBS. The reality is that the Corporation for 
Public Broadcasting receives around .0001% of the annual federal 
budget. Eliminating that funding would save Americans less than half a 
cent a day, and in doing so, eliminate a valuable educational, 
cultural, and community resource.
  But the value of the services are unending. As a former board chair 
of my district's local PBS TV station, I can attest to the value local 
programming offers to my constituents. I hear from families, seniors, 
and everyday commuters who use public broadcasting to get local news, 
to learn something new about the world, and teachers who use its 
educational programming in their classrooms.
  Moreover, public TV and radio stations employ over 17,000 people 
across the country--jobs that no one can afford to lose--and especially 
not now.
  M. Chair, the number of listeners and viewers speak for themselves. 
Every month, over 170 million Americans use public media--through 368 
public television stations, 934 public radio stations, hundreds of 
online services, education services, and in-person events and 
activities. Every month over half of all Americans use public media.
  Defunding public broadcasting would be a deep and misguided error, 
and would lose our country a great resource.
  Maintaining support for public, educational, and government channels 
and networks is necessary to facilitate communication, and I am 
dedicated to ensuring that citizens have access to tools that inform, 
educate, and encourage interest in local activities.
  I urge my colleagues to vote yes on Amendment 325, and to uphold the 
legacy of American public broadcasting.

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