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UPDATE - FEDERAL FUNDING FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING

6/20/2008

The legislation approved by the subcommittee provides CPB a $430 million advance appropriation for FY 2011, as well as $40 million for digital conversion and $27 million for the public radio interconnection system for FY 2009. In addition, the bill provides $24 million in funding for Ready To Learn (RTL). If enacted, the proposed advance appropriation for FY 2011 would represent a $10 million dollar increase over the FY 2010 level.



The next steps for the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Bill are consideration by the full House Appropriations Committee, tentatively scheduled for June 25th. The Senate Appropriations Committee could mark up its version of this legislation as early as next week.



While the support for CPB funding and the principle of advanced appropriations for public broadcasting is good news, the outlook for this year’s appropriations cycle is not certain. Like last year, the President has threatened to veto any appropriations bills over his budget request, meaning that few, if any, bills are likely to be passed by Congress before the November election. In short, the FY 2009 appropriations cycle won’t be finalized until at least after the election and possibly into early 2009.



- Pat Harrison, President and CEO of CPB

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