First Wire Tapping, then PBS
Remarks of Patricia de Stacy Harrison, President and CEO
President's FY 2007 Budget
February 6, 2006
Today, the President submitted his FY 2007 budget to Congress. This budget is but the first step in the long annual appropriations process.
In his budget, the President recommended the following for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting: a $53.5 million rescission from the $400 million already appropriated by Congress for FY 2007; a $50 million rescission from the $400 million already appropriated by Congress for FY 2008; no advance appropriation for FY 2009; no additional funding in FY 2007 for digital conversion or television interconnection (however CPB would be permitted to use a portion of its FY 2007 regular appropriation for these purposes). In addition, the president proposed to fund Ready to Learn (RTL) at $24 million in FY 2007, a slight decrease from the FY 2006 funding levels. If enacted, these FY 2007 funding levels would represent a 24.7 percent reduction from CPB's FY 2006 levels, and would be felt in all CPB programs, including station CSGs.
Concerned with the likelihood of difficult fiscal times ahead, CPB Chairman Cheryl Halpern and I met together and separately over the past several months with the Office of Management and Budget to make the case for FY 2009 advance appropriation and FY 2007 digital and interconnection funding. In addition to our normal examiners, we met with the Deputy Associate Director, as well as with Director Bolten himself.
Needless to say, we at CPB are very disappointed by the funding levels for public broadcasting recommended in the President's budget. We understand the hard choices facing the Administration, Congress and the nation as hurricane reconstruction, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue and entitlement spending take up a growing share of federal dollars. Nevertheless, we believe greater investments in public broadcasting, a trusted source of information and essential educational services, create stronger connections to community.
Although the President's budget recommends deep cuts, it is important to remember that it is the first step in a long process. After Congressional consideration of the annual "budget resolution," which sets overall spending levels for various federal departments and agencies, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees in the early summer will begin writing the 11 different appropriations bills, including the Labor-HHS bill in which CPB is funded.
You may recall that last year the Administration requested that CPB's already-enacted $400 million for FY 2006 be cut to $390 million, with no additional funds for digital conversion or interconnection. In the end, however, after a concerted effort by the public broadcasting community, Congress decided to fund CPB in FY 2006 at $396 million, with $30 million for digital and $35 million for interconnection, or a total of $461 million.
Working together with all of you, I look forward to making the case to Congress for their full support, appreciation and respect for the inherent value of public broadcasting to our civil society, our children's education, and our nation's security. In fact, this week CPB is transmitting its request to Congress for a $430 million advance appropriation for FY 2009; and $40 million for digital conversion, $36 million for television interconnection, and $32 million for Ready to Learn for FY 2007.
President's FY 2007 Budget
February 6, 2006
Today, the President submitted his FY 2007 budget to Congress. This budget is but the first step in the long annual appropriations process.
In his budget, the President recommended the following for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting: a $53.5 million rescission from the $400 million already appropriated by Congress for FY 2007; a $50 million rescission from the $400 million already appropriated by Congress for FY 2008; no advance appropriation for FY 2009; no additional funding in FY 2007 for digital conversion or television interconnection (however CPB would be permitted to use a portion of its FY 2007 regular appropriation for these purposes). In addition, the president proposed to fund Ready to Learn (RTL) at $24 million in FY 2007, a slight decrease from the FY 2006 funding levels. If enacted, these FY 2007 funding levels would represent a 24.7 percent reduction from CPB's FY 2006 levels, and would be felt in all CPB programs, including station CSGs.
Concerned with the likelihood of difficult fiscal times ahead, CPB Chairman Cheryl Halpern and I met together and separately over the past several months with the Office of Management and Budget to make the case for FY 2009 advance appropriation and FY 2007 digital and interconnection funding. In addition to our normal examiners, we met with the Deputy Associate Director, as well as with Director Bolten himself.
Needless to say, we at CPB are very disappointed by the funding levels for public broadcasting recommended in the President's budget. We understand the hard choices facing the Administration, Congress and the nation as hurricane reconstruction, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue and entitlement spending take up a growing share of federal dollars. Nevertheless, we believe greater investments in public broadcasting, a trusted source of information and essential educational services, create stronger connections to community.
Although the President's budget recommends deep cuts, it is important to remember that it is the first step in a long process. After Congressional consideration of the annual "budget resolution," which sets overall spending levels for various federal departments and agencies, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees in the early summer will begin writing the 11 different appropriations bills, including the Labor-HHS bill in which CPB is funded.
You may recall that last year the Administration requested that CPB's already-enacted $400 million for FY 2006 be cut to $390 million, with no additional funds for digital conversion or interconnection. In the end, however, after a concerted effort by the public broadcasting community, Congress decided to fund CPB in FY 2006 at $396 million, with $30 million for digital and $35 million for interconnection, or a total of $461 million.
Working together with all of you, I look forward to making the case to Congress for their full support, appreciation and respect for the inherent value of public broadcasting to our civil society, our children's education, and our nation's security. In fact, this week CPB is transmitting its request to Congress for a $430 million advance appropriation for FY 2009; and $40 million for digital conversion, $36 million for television interconnection, and $32 million for Ready to Learn for FY 2007.