In a recent speech from the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) criticized Senate Republicans for their proposed rescission bill that aims to eliminate $1.1 billion in federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). This funding supports 1,500 local public radio and television stations nationwide. The cuts could lead to many stations shutting down, particularly in rural areas, leaving millions without crucial emergency information.
Senator Cantwell emphasized the importance of public broadcasting in providing life-saving alerts during emergencies. "We're not just putting PBS at risk here," she stated, "we're putting millions of Americans who depend on local media for life-saving information [at risk]." She highlighted how systems like NPR's Public Radio Satellite System and PBS's Warning Alert and Response Network play critical roles in disseminating emergency alerts.
Cantwell illustrated her point with examples such as the 2018 earthquake in Alaska and the 2021 tornadoes in Kentucky, where public broadcasting was essential in delivering real-time updates when other communication infrastructures failed. "In these kinds of moments," she quoted station managers, "your emergency radio or your car radio is literally the only thing to have to get you any news or a lifeline."
The senator urged her colleagues not to cut off emergency broadcast funding, questioning the wisdom of such actions given the current challenges faced by communities across the nation.
Public broadcasting is vital for local emergency response efforts, especially in rural areas where it often serves as the primary source of news and alerts. Many stations rely heavily on federal funding and would be forced to close if these cuts proceed. Last month, Sen. Cantwell released a report indicating that millions live in communities threatened by losing their local public broadcast stations while also being at risk from various weather emergencies.
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