David Skaggs: “my amendment would bar continued TV Marti broadcasts to Cuba after the end of this fiscal year, when moneys appropriated…”

“my amendment would bar continued TV Marti broadcasts to Cuba after the end of this fiscal year, when moneys appropriated for that purpose would end. This amendment is not about Cuba, not about Castro; it is an amendment that would cut waste, eliminate an absolutely failed program, and save the American taxpayers millions of dollars every year. TV Marti, part of the USIA, is a Federal program begun in 1989 that attempts to broadcast television programs to Cuba in the early morning hours. I support the USIA's efforts to get unbiased news coverage to Cuba. I support Radio Marti's attempts to do that. TV Marti is simply another story. It is not accomplishing that purpose. Virtually no one in Cuba has seen, is seeing, or will see TV Marti broadcasts. The Government has already wasted over $100 million on this failed experiment. Let us not put good money after bad. Let us end this experiment at the end of this fiscal year. We will save over $9 million next year and countless millions in the outyears after that by passing this amendment. Last year the House appropriations bill ended appropriations for TV Marti and this House went along with the appropriations recommendation. It was only because the other body restored funding that we still have to deal with this. I have a stack of reports here, Mr. Chairman, every one of which shows that TV Marti has no significant audience in Cuba.”