APTS Statement on the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations Subcommittee Mark up (July 2009)
Earlier today, the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor/HHS) Appropriations subcommittee took an important step to mitigate the deleterious effects that the prolonged economic recession is having on local public television and radio stations. In a major endorsement of the essential programming and services local stations provide to their communities, the House subcommittee provided $40 million in emergency funding to give meaningful, urgent relief directly to local stations.
Larry Sidman, APTS President & CEO said: “All of public broadcasting is deeply grateful to Chairman Obey and his subcommittee members for providing desperately needed support to stations battered by the most prolonged recession since World War II.”
Sidman continued: “We are also thankful for the extraordinary leadership that Representatives Ben Chandler, Rosa DeLauro, Jesse Jackson, Jr., Nita Lowey, Betty McCollum and Lucille Roybal-Allard provided to secure critical relief to stations. These congressional champions are helping to ensure that local communities will continue to have access to the educational, cultural and news and public affairs programming and services that public broadcasting provides.”
