Durbin Speaks With Corporation For Public Broadcasting Following Passage Of Trump's Rescissions Request
The meeting comes as CPB announced it would be shutting down after being defunded by President Trump, Congressional Republicans
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) CEO Patricia Harrison to discuss the impact of President Donald Trump’sRescissions Act of 2025, which rescinded $1.1 billion in previously appropriated funding for the more than 1,500 locally owned media outlets that rely on CPB. Since the passage of the rescissions request in July, CPB announced it had begun taking steps toward a formal shutdown.
“I sounded the alarm that these rescissions would devastate communities across the country, but especially rural areas that rely on public TV and radio for localized news, educational programming, and emergency alert services. Following my discussions with CPB leadership, that appears to have, unfortunately, been the case,” said Durbin. “I implore my colleagues to restore this funding, which has long enjoyed overwhelming bipartisan support.”
Since being defunded, CPB has seen stations lay-off staff, end local programming, and relinquish their memberships to national distributors such as PBS and NPR.
At last weeks Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony, the academy recognized the CPB as the recipient of the 2025 Governor’s Award, which “honors an individual, company or organization that has made a profound, transformational and long-lasting contribution to the arts and/or science of television.” Ms. Harrison accepted the award on CPB’s behalf, saying the organization was a steward of federal funds that helped public television stations meet the changing information needs of the communities they serve.
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