WASHINGTON – June 17, 2015 – The Association of Public Television Stations (APTS) president and CEO Patrick Butler issued the following statement today commending the U.S. House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS-Education) Subcommittee for providing level funding for public broadcasting:
“The Association of Public Television Stations is delighted by today’s action by the U.S. House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS-Education) Subcommittee, which provided level funding of $445 million in fiscal year (FY) 2018 for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting under its two-year advance funding mechanism. We are grateful for the bipartisan leadership of Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) and Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) for their support of public broadcasting’s essential public service mission in education, public safety and civic leadership.”
“The federal investment in public broadcasting supports the last locally-owned, locally-controlled media in America, reaching more than 99 percent of the American people and serving them not only on television but in the classroom, the emergency response network and the community.”
“We remain hopeful that funding for Ready To Learn and critical system interconnection will be provided as the appropriations process runs its course.”
“Today’s markup at the Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee demonstrates the growing bipartisan support for the work of public television, and we will do our best to continue to earn that essential support every day in communities across the country.”
About APTS
The Association of Public Television Stations (APTS) is a nonprofit membership organization established in 1979. APTS represents the overwhelming majority of the 171 public television licensees nationwide. The mission of APTS is to conduct – in concert with member stations – advocacy, planning, research and communications activities to foster strong and financially sound noncommercial television. APTS also works to ensure member stations’ commitment and capacity to perform essential public service missions in education, public safety and civic leadership for the American people. For more information, visit www.apts.org.
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