Sarah Elfreth: “I stand here on the House floor as an American proudly and profoundly shaped by the wonder and joy of public television.…”

“I stand here on the House floor as an American proudly and profoundly shaped by the wonder and joy of public television. Mister Rogers taught us how to be a good neighbor. Bill Nye inspired us to ask questions and never give up on the search for discovery. ``Sesame Street'' taught us how to read and count while instilling values of sharing and empathy. Mr. Speaker, I would be hard-pressed to find an American in this Nation whose childhood wasn't profoundly shaped by the magic of public television. For over 50 years, PBS has brought our kids educational, inspiring, and commercial-free media, but last week, the Trump administration issued an executive order slashing Federal funding to NPR and PBS, meaning that smaller stations would lose nearly half of their funding, posing an existential threat to the future of this media. I contend that the values that PBS taught us all are exactly the values we need in this moment and the values we could use right here in this Chamber: how to think critically, how to care for the Earth and one another with respect and dignity, how to count votes, how to resolve our differences with manners and empathy, all of which is why I continue to push for the reinstatement of these funds so that future generations can benefit as I did. I will be fighting for viewers like you. ____________________”