Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) supported a successful amendment to a congressional spending bill to restore $100 million in slashed funds to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Larsen had heard from many constituents who urged him to fight against the bill’s dramatic funding cuts to public broadcasting.

The Fiscal Year 2006 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 3010) included proposed cuts that would have eliminated more than 40 percent of CPB’s overall funding. These cuts would have serious and direct impacts on public radio and television stations and would eliminate the Ready to Learn educational programming funding. In addition to the $100 million funding cut for fiscal year 2006, this bill provides no additional funding for mandatory conversion to digital broadcasting and replacement of public broadcast satellites - forcing CPB to fund those needs out of the already depleted funding pool.

“My kids watch many of the Ready to Learn programs on PBS like Clifford and Arthur,” Larsen said. “My constituents have called and written to tell me that they value the benefits of public broadcasting.”

“When I fight for public broadcasting, I’m fighting for my constituents and my kids,” Larsen stressed. 

The amendment Larsen supported to restore $100 million of the CPB funding, offered by Rep. Dave Obey (D-WI), passed overwhelmingly in a vote of 284 - 140.

In March, Larsen wrote to House appropriators urging them to include adequate funding for the CPB, Digital Technology, and Educational Technology. 

“I have many concerns with other egregious funding cuts in this spending bill for education and healthcare,” Larsen pointed out. “Now we have one less irresponsible funding cut to worry about.”

Larsen represents the 2nd Congressional District.