NonilexJun 12, 2025

#House vote puts #PBS, #NPR funding in crosshairs

The House narrowly approved #legislation Thurs to claw back 2 years of federal #funding for #PublicMedia outlets. #Trump, who has attacked the mainstream media more broadly, has accused NPR & PBS of *bias* against *conservative* viewpoints.

The measure passed largely along party lines, 214 to 212.

#Trump #AmericanAutocracy #authoritarianism #dictatorship #tyranny #law
https://www.npr.org/2025/06/12/g-s1-72223/public-media-funding-up-in-the-air-as-house-prepares-to-vote-on-claw-backs

Show threadNonilexJun 12, 2025

The #legislation is the first request by the #Trump admin for #Congress to TAKE BACK MONEY IT ALREADY APPROVED through annual spending bills. The bill reflects a list of cuts totaling $9.4 billion that were requested by #RussVought’s #OMB. The bulk of the cuts—$8.3 billion—are to #ForeignAid programs addressing global #PublicHealth, international #disaster assistance & #hunger relief.

#AmericanAutocracy #authoritarianism #dictatorship #tyranny #law

Show threadNonilexJun 12, 2025

The remainder would slash $1.1 billion for the Corporation for #PublicBroadcasting [#CPB], which allocates nearly all of the funds to #LocalNews stations, for the next 2 fiscal years. By #law, that money is supposed to be approved in advance as part of an effort to insulate public broadcasting from #political influence over fleeting issues.

#Trump #NPR #PBS #AmericanAutocracy #authoritarianism #dictatorship #tyranny

Show threadNonilexJun 12, 2025

#House Majority Leader Steve Scalise formally introduced the #legislation last week, saying it "codifies #Trump's cuts to *wasteful* #ForeignAid initiatives within the #State Dept & #USAID, as well as woke #PublicBroadcasting, including #NPR & #PBS, at the #CPB, which is a business the federal government shouldn't even be in."

#law #AmericanAutocracy #authoritarianism #dictatorship #tyranny

Show threadNonilexJun 12, 2025

#Republicans attacked the programs they targeted for cuts in speeches Thurs before the vote. "Don't spend money on stupid things & don't subsidize biased media," Ohio #GOP Rep. #GymJordan said.

#Democrats defended #PublicBroadcasting as providing essential services. They cited the need for #local #information during natural #disasters & balanced #news coverage.

#Trump #law #NPR #PBS #AmericanAutocracy #authoritarianism #dictatorship #tyranny

Show threadNonilex

"NPR & PBS are targeted here today precisely because they are so good at delivering the #truth," #Texas #Democratic Rep. #LloydDoggett said. He pointed to Trump's #socialmedia attacks on the outlets, saying, "#Trump doesn't want a country of engaged, informed Americans. He prefers those who salute on command."

#Trump #law #NPR #PBS #AmericanAutocracy #authoritarianism #dictatorship #tyranny

Jun 12, 2025 at 8:37pmWeb
Show threadNonilexJun 12, 2025

#House Minority Leader #HakeemJeffries, who has accused #Republicans of rubber stamping Trump's agenda despite their own misgivings, held up a doll of Elmo, the Sesame Street character, on the House floor.

"The letter of the day is 'C'. How appropriate because this bill is cruel, & it cuts children's programs all across the country," he said.

#Trump #law #NPR #PBS #AmericanAutocracy #authoritarianism #dictatorship #tyranny

Show threadNonilexJun 12, 2025

While a handful of Congressional #Republicans have expressed support for their local #PublicRadio & television stations, there is intense pressure on them to side with #Trump. #HeritageAction, a *conservative* group, designated the vote on the rescissions bill as the first "key vote" included on their scorecard tracking lawmakers' voting records this session of #Congress.

#law #NPR #PBS #AmericanAutocracy #authoritarianism #dictatorship #tyranny

Show threadThadJun 12, 2025

@Nonilex Is this one of those things that can pass the Senate with a simple majority, or do they need 60 votes?

I know they can abolish the filibuster any time they feel like it, and I'm sure they will eventually, but I'm not sure whether they'd do it over this.

Show threadBibliofishy📚☕️Jun 12, 2025
@Nonilex. missing democrats and empty seats didn't help the vote. ☹️