Bush prunes PBS funds
White House proposes eliminating $53.5 million in 2007
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The White House proposes eliminating $53.5 million in 2007 followed by $50 million in 2008.
CPB is a taxpayer-funded agency that doles out money to public broadcasters, most notably PBS.
"Oscar the Grouch has been friendlier to 'Sesame Street' characters than the Bush administration, which has chosen to make huge cuts to children's television programming," Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) said in a statement. "In a world of fast-and-furious television with content often inappropriate for young children, the public broadcasting system represents the last stronghold of quality, child-oriented programming -- we owe this free over-the-air resource to America's children and their parents."
CPB prexy Patricia Harrison expressed dismay. "We understand the hard choices facing the administration, Congress and the nation as hurricane reconstruction, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue and entitlement spending take up a growing share of federal dollars," Harrison said. "We are, nevertheless, disappointed."
Congress tried to cut CPB funding last year, but advocates successfully fought to restore most of the cuts. The same advocates are expected to rally against the administration's proposed cuts.
The overall White House budget calls for $2.77 trillion in federal spending, with defense and homeland security receiving most increases.
