Prohibiting Federal Funding of National Public Radio: House of Representatives

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to voice my strong opposition to HR 1076, a bill to eliminate federal funding for NPR and prohibit local public radio stations from using federal funds to acquire programming content.

Mr. Speaker, National Public Radio provides 27 million Americans with access to high-quality, non-commercial programming every week. In many cases, NPR's network of 900 local public radio stations is the only way Americans can access this kind of news and information. For that reason, public opinion polls routinely show large majorities of American in support of federal funding for NPR--and that breadth of support is consistently strong across the political spectrum.

So what are we doing here today? Creating jobs? Exactly the opposite. Enactment of this bill would endanger 9000 jobs at local public radio stations in communities across the country. Reducing the deficit? Hardly. CBO says this bill produces no savings. Honoring the majority's commitment to 72 hours notice and transparent governance? Mr. Speaker, this bill was introduced on Tuesday and is now being rushed to the floor 48 hours later without a single hearing.

Mr. Speaker, this is not the people's business, and it is no way to run this House. It won't create a single job. It doesn't reduce the deficit. The American people haven't asked for it, and they don't want it.

I urge a ``no'' vote.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source