Senate Puts Off CPB Claw Back Bill Until July

The U.S. Senate faces a decision by July 18, 2025, on whether to approve a rescission bill passed by the House of Representatives on June 12, 2025, to claw back $1.1 billion in previously allocated funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which supports public media outlets like NPR, PBS, and over 1,500 local radio and television stations. 

The bill, part of a $9.4 billion rescission package targeting foreign aid and public media, was initiated by the Trump administration and passed the House in a narrow 214-212 vote, largely along party lines, with four Republicans opposing it.

The $1.1 billion represents CPB’s funding for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 ($535 million per year), already approved by Congress and signed into law by President Trump earlier in 2025. The rescission, if approved by the Senate with a simple majority, would eliminate this funding, potentially devastating public media, especially rural and smaller stations that rely heavily on federal support. For example, stations in Alaska, South Dakota, and Montana could lose significant portions of their budgets, impacting local news, emergency alerts, and educational programming.

Senate consideration ia expected to be contentious. Some Republican senators, like Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, expressed concerns about the cuts, citing the critical role of public media in rural areas and emergency systems. Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated the Senate might not address the bill until July, prioritizing other legislation, and suggested possible tweaks to the package. If the Senate failed to pass the bill by July 18, 2025, the funds would be released to CPB as originally intended.

Opponents, including Democrats and public media advocates, argued the cuts would weaken independent journalism and disproportionately harm underserved communities, calling the move politically motivated. Supporters, mainly Republicans, claimed public media outlets exhibit bias and that the funds were wasteful. 

Public media leaders, like NPR’s Katherine Maher and PBS’s Paula Kerger, urged the Senate to reject the bill, emphasizing its role in providing trusted, accessible content.