Overview

• The Trump administration is finalizing a rescission request to Congress to claw back $1.1 billion in federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which supports NPR and PBS.
• The rescission package also includes an $8.3 billion cut to USAID, with Congress having 45 days to approve or reject the proposals once formally submitted.
• NPR has urged its member stations to mobilize stakeholders and deliver letters to lawmakers by May 2 opposing the rescission, as the administration accelerates its timeline.
• PBS CEO Paula Kerger warned that cutting federal funds would devastate smaller and rural stations, potentially leading to closures and loss of services in underserved communities.
• The administration justifies the cuts by alleging a history of anti-conservative bias at public broadcasters, a claim contested by public media leaders defending their role in providing impartial programming.