Hearing of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee - Opening Statement of Rep. Cole, Hearing on Corporation for Public Broadcasting FY 2018 Budget

Hearing

ood morning. It is my pleasure to welcome Ms. Patricia Harrison, the CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, to the Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education to discuss the agency's budget.

We are looking forward to hearing your testimony, especially since it has been quite a while since this subcommittee has held a hearing on the Corporation's budget. In fact, my staff tell me it has been 10 years since we last had you here -- Welcome Back. I also want to thank you for accommodating some schedule changes, due to timing of the budget submission this year, we have had a few schedule modifications and I appreciate your flexibility. We are very happy that you are here today to join us.

Congress created the Corporation to give a stronger voice to commercial free educational radio and television programs. In addition to providing education, public broadcasters are often the only source of content in remote areas of the Nation. The high quality content available through public broadcasting continues to receive recognition, just last year receiving more than 80 Emmy nominations.

Millions of Americans every day tune in to public radio stations or television stations for news, weather, and entertainment. Thousands of children and teachers use the educational programming in classrooms across America.

The Corporation represents a unique public-private partnership, with most radio and TV stations leveraging five nonfederal dollars for each dollar made through Federal investment.

We look forward to hearing about the Corporation's accomplishments over the past years and plans for the upcoming fiscal year.

As a reminder to the subcommittee and our witness, we will abide by the five minute rule so that everyone will have a chance to get their questions asked and answered.

I would like to yield now to my Ranking Member, the Gentlelady from Connecticut for her opening remarks

Source