WASHINGTON – February 12, 2018 – America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) president and CEO Patrick Butler issued the following statement on President Trump’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 budget released today:
“America’s Public Television Stations are disappointed in President Trump’s FY 2019 budget proposal that once again recommends the elimination of federal funding for public media.
“We will continue to make our case with the Administration that characterizing our work as simply another television channel misses the fact that we provide the only preschool education for more than half of America’s children, that we are the backbone of public safety communications networks at the local, state and national levels, and that we do more to equip America’s citizens to do the hard work of democracy than anyone else.
“Fortunately, Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate, and the overwhelming majority of their constituents, understand these contributions – and our impressive return on the investment of one-hundredth of one percent of the federal budget – very well. We are grateful that Congress approved full funding for public broadcasting in FY 2017, and we are hopeful that Congress will continue its support for public broadcasting in the final appropriations bills for FY 2018, FY 2019 and beyond.”
About APTS
America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) is a nonprofit membership organization ensuring a strong and financially sound public television system and helping member stations provide essential public services in education, public safety and civic leadership to the American people. For more information, visit www.apts.org.
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