WASHINGTON, DC – As the House Republicans plan a catastrophic cut to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-Westchester/Rockland) is fighting to restore the funds and raise awareness of the dangers the cuts pose.  Today, she joined fellow Members of Congress in a rally to support public broadcasting with popular PBS characters ‘Clifford the Big Red Dog,’ ‘Arthur,’ ‘Leona the Lion,’ and ‘Maya’ and ‘Miguel’. 

“Each of these colorful characters had entertained and educated our children for years.  But now they and many cultural, educational, and balanced news programs provided by public broadcasting are on the chopping block.  We must stop these cuts to maintain access to public broadcasting for all American families,” said Lowey.

Republicans leaders have proposed drastically reducing funding for CPB.  The FY06 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Act would reduce CPB’s base funding by $100 million – a 25% cut from CPB’s FY05 funding levels.  

Lowey is fighting to restore this funding.  A Member of the House Appropriations Committee, last week, she joined a successful effort to restore the policy of ‘forward funding’ of CPB.  This policy estimates what funding Congress will provide CPB in future years so that local stations can leverage this support for increased state and individual donations.  While efforts on the House Appropriations Committee to restore forward funding for CPB were successful, the Republican majority refused to restore full funding in FY06 to the program.

This week, the full House of Representatives will consider the FY06 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education spending bill.  Today’s rally highlighted the effects these proposed cuts would have in advance of floor action.

“Ten years ago, ‘Bert’ and ‘Ernie’ of ‘Sesame Street’ joined me in Congress to fight cuts to public broadcasting.  Last week, they came to the Appropriations Committee again to show the public what is at stake in this fight.  I’m proud to join ‘Bert,’ ‘Ernie,’ ‘Clifford,’ ‘Arthur,’ and all the other characters who’ve entertained and educated American children for so many decades.  We can’t let them down – we must restore the funding,” said Lowey.