President Donald Trump is asking Congress to claw back roughly $9.4 billion from foreign aid programs and public news broadcasters. Montana’s federal representatives are voicing their support.
Congress has 45 days to consider the rescission request before it expires. It would allow the federal government to take back $8.3 billion in foreign aid and $1.1 billion from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting.
That money in turn gets distributed to NPR, PBS and local public broadcasters across the country.
Trump and other Republicans accuse the national news outlets of bias against conservatives.
The rescission request is now before the U.S. House for consideration.
U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke said in a statement that the government shouldn’t be “subsidizing news outlets.” U.S. Rep. Troy Downing on social media said the request delivers on Trump’s cost cutting agenda.
This is the Trump administration’s second attempt to cut funds for public media. He signed an executive order last month telling the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to stop funding NPR and PBS. The outlets and several local stations are suing to stop the order.
Leaders of Montana Public Radio, Yellowstone Public Radio and Montana PBS are backing a nationwide campaign urging lawmakers to resist Trump’s request.
Federal dollars account for roughly 10% of MTPR and YPR’s budgets. For Montana PBS, it’s 20%
[Editor's Note: This story was reported and written by MTPR's statehouse reporter Shaylee Ragar. It was edited by MTPR acting News Director Aaron Bolton. No other MTPR staff or University of Montana officials reviewed this story before it was published.]
