Andre Carson: “I rise in support of public broadcasting. Mr. Chairman, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting provides an essential…”

“I rise in support of public broadcasting. Mr. Chairman, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting provides an essential public service and we ought to pass this amendment to restore funding for a program that works. This budget cut hurts our children and the least fortunate in our community the most. PBS is especially critical for low-income Americans who may not be able to send their children to preschool. For millions of Americans, PBS programs like Sesame Street and Reading Rainbow are the only educational resources available to their children. PBS programs produce the most popular videos used by American teachers in the classroom. According to a recent poll, 82% of the public thinks money given to PBS is money well spent. But if this amendment doesn't pass, PBS affiliate WFYI in my district will lose $1 million, or \1/3\ of the entire payroll for a station that reaches over a million households and 500,000 viewers every week. This is unacceptable. But even more unacceptable is the threat this poses to the community services that WFYI provides on a daily basis to people in my district. It provides workshops in day care centers for the most disadvantaged in Indiana. For millions of Americans, PBS programs like Sesame Street and Reading Rainbow are the only educational resources available to their chIldren at home. But WFYI also helps prepare low-income pre-schoolers for the first grade.…”