Senate Advances Spending Cuts Targeting Public Broadcasting

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, July 16, 2025 | 9:58am CT

U.S. Senate

The U.S. Senate voted late Tuesday to advance debate on a contentious $9.4 billion rescissions package backed by President Donald Trump, targeting funds previously allocated to public broadcasting and international aid programs, reports NPR. The vote passed by the narrowest possible margin, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaker after three Republican senators joined Democrats in opposition.

The package includes a proposed $1.1 billion cut to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the organization responsible for distributing federal funds to NPR and PBS, and $7.9 billion in reductions from global aid initiatives focused on famine relief and disease prevention.

The measure had already passed the House in June, but the Senate Appropriations Committee removed PEPFAR-the U.S. program for AIDS relief created under President George W. Bush-from the list of cuts, following bipartisan resistance.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) said she opposed the plan not because she's against reducing government spending, but because of how the Trump administration is pursuing the cuts through the rarely used rescission process.

"We need to be responsible with the budget, but we also need to uphold our role as legislators," Murkowski said on the Senate floor. "If you think NPR is biased, let's address it. But gutting the CPB isn't the answer."

Despite the proposed cut to CPB, a last-minute agreement between the White House and Senate Republicans would preserve funding for 28 tribal public radio stations across nine states. The deal, brokered in part by Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), would redirect funds from a Department of the Interior program, potentially using money previously allocated for climate initiatives under the Green New Deal framework.

"This is about emergency alerts and community service in rural areas," Rounds said. However, Native Public Media President and CEO Loris Taylor criticized the proposed workaround as "structurally impractical," saying that climate funds were not a viable or legal source for media infrastructure support.

Lawmakers face a Friday midnight deadline to approve the rescissions package, or the cuts will expire. Because of changes made in the Senate, the measure will need to return to the House for final approval if it passes.

The proposal has sparked divisions among Senate Republicans. Some, including Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), raised concerns about the opaque nature of the bill and the long-term effects on local journalism.

"No one really knows what's in the rescission package," Collins said in a statement. "I share frustrations with NPR's national coverage, but many local stations provide vital news and emergency information."

The Trump administration has made clear its desire to target public media. Last week, the president warned Republicans that he would withhold endorsements from those who voted against the package. "DEFUND THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING (PBS and NPR), which is worse than CNN & MSDNC put together," Trump posted on his social media platform.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) urged the Senate to pass the bill as written. Meanwhile, several senators, including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), warned of the consequences for emergency communication systems and underserved communities.

"These cuts couldn't come at a worse time," Schumer said. "Public broadcasting is often the only source for weather alerts and public safety updates in rural areas. Why is the administration so obsessed with eliminating these services?"