Senate advances bill that would defund PBS and NPR
On July 15, the U.S. Senate voted to advance a $9.4 billion rescissions package that includes eliminating all federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which supports PBS and NPR. The procedural vote passed 51–50, with Vice President J.D. Vance casting the tie-breaking vote.
The legislation proposes cutting approximately $1.1 billion allocated to CPB. If passed, it would effectively defund public broadcasting nationwide. Supporters of the measure argue it is a necessary rollback of politically biased media spending. Critics say the move will severely impact local stations.
Senators Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Mitch McConnell broke from their party to oppose the bill, citing concerns over the loss of trusted local news and educational programming. Senator Mike Rounds voted to advance the bill after securing assurances that tribal stations would retain limited support.
This effort follows recent criticism of public media from President Trump and other Republicans, who have labeled PBS and NPR as left-leaning and called for their defunding. The bill’s advancement marks one of the most serious threats to public broadcasting since its founding in the 1960s.
The Senate will now begin up to 10 hours of debate and possible amendments before a final vote. If passed, the bill returns to the House for approval. Lawmakers must act before the July 18 deadline, or the rescinded funds will be automatically released.
