[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 43 (Tuesday, March 29, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E537]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          PROHIBITING FEDERAL FUNDING OF NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO

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                               speech of

                            HON. GWEN MOORE

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 17, 2011

  Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak out against efforts to 
cut federal funding for public broadcasting.
  Republicans already tried to kill Big Bird in H.R. 1, but since the 
American People won't let Big Bird die, here we go again.
  This time, NPR has been singled out as their target.
  H.R. 1076 is a reckless bill that would defend NPR and prohibit 
public radio stations from using federal funds to acquire any radio 
programming from any source.
  It would endanger 9,000 jobs at local public radio stations in 
communities across the country.
  It would cripple stations like WOJB-FM, a community radio in Hayward, 
Wisconsin that uses CPB money for about 40% of its budget.
  Without good quality national programs, local stations would lose 
their ability to attract the audience that they need to develop local 
used for local/regional news.
  Why is Public Broadcasting a worthy national interest?
  Demand for quality national and international news has never been 
higher, and the American people are best served when they are informed 
with current events.
  At the same time, commercial news rooms are shrinking, reporting 
staff is downsizing, and even the size of newspapers are fractions of 
what they used to be.
  Then you look at how the listening base for public radio has actually 
increased. You simply cannot argue that NPR is irrelevant when it draws 
in 34 million listeners a week.
  It's still in the public interest to support the arts and education.
  More than 2/3rds of voters oppose the elimination of public 
broadcasting, and the American people are smart enough to know how this 
bill is nothing but a piecemeal attack towards a larger agenda.
  I would suggest to my Republican colleagues that we focus on creating 
jobs, and not on cutting quality news and education to millions of 
Americans.

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