Clawback of $1.1B for PBS and NPR puts rural stations at risk – and threatens a vital source of journalism

Nathan Heffel and Grace Hood rehearse their Colorado Public Radio public affairs program in Centennial, Colo., in 2017. Andy Cross/The Denver Post via Getty Images

The U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives approved by narrow margins on July 17 and 18, 2025, a law that claws back federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Once President Donald Trump signs it into law, the US$9 billion rescissions package will withdraw $1.1 billion Congress had previously approved for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which distributes money to NPR, PBS and their affiliate stations, to receive in the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years.

In addition, it makes deep foreign aid cuts. All Democrats present voted against the measure in both chambers. They were joined in the Senate by two Republicans: Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Two House Republicans also voted no: Michael R. Turner of Ohio and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania. The Conversation U.S. asked Allison Perlman and Josh Shepperd, who are both media scholars, to explain why the measure will have a big impact on public broadcasters.