Help Save Public Broadcasting!

On Thursday, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies passed a spending bill that would significantly cut the budget for public television and radio. Not only is future funding in jeopardy, but 25% of the funds already appropriated for 2006 would be rescinded, and over 50 programs, including many children's shows, would be eliminated.

Because of the large scale of the cuts, Hawaii-related programs could be affected, including those funded in part by Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC), PBS Hawaii's regular roster of local programs, and illuminating documentaries such as Hawaii's Last Queen, and The Massie Affair.

But there's still hope! Though these cuts are expected to pass out of the House, public broadcasting supporters are now looking to the Senate to reject them (just like our state legislative process, bills must be approved by both bodies of Congress). So please contact our U.S. senators (and representatives too)--the more legislators who know about how you feel, the better:

Sen. Daniel Inouye
Tel: (202) 224-3934
Fax: (202) 224-6747
http://inouye.senate.gov/webform.html
*NOTE: Sen. Inouye is on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, so he will be directly involved in discussing this bill

Sen. Daniel Akaka
Tel: (202) 224-6361
Fax: (202) 224-2126
senator@akaka.senate.gov

Rep. Neil Abercrombie
Tel: (202) 225-2726
Fax: (202) 225-4580
Neil.Abercrombie@mail.house.gov

Rep. Ed Case
Tel: (202) 225-4906
Fax: (202) 225-4987
ed.case@mail.house.gov

Rep. Madeleine Bordallo (Guam)
Tel: (202) 225-1188
Fax: (202) 226-0341
http://www.house.gov/bordallo/feedbackForm.html

Rep. Eni Faleomavaega (American Samoa)
Tel: (202) 225-8577
Fax: (202) 225-8757

You can also fill out MoveOn.org's Online Petition to generate automatic emails to your legislators. (Thanks Mike R. for the tip!)

Stop this bill in its tracks! Here's the path of the spending bill that would cut funds for public broadcasting: (click on the links to see a list of committee members)

1. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
>> Bill Approved 6/9/05

2. House Appropriations Committee
>> Pending Approval

3. House Floor Vote

**CROSSOVER TO SENATE**

4. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
[Senator Daniel Inouye is a member of this subcommitee!]

5. Senate Appropriations Committee

6. Senate Floor Vote

7. Conference (Senate & House discuss differences)

8. Congressional Floor Vote

>> Panel Would Cut Public Broadcasting Aid [NY Times, 6/10/05]
>> Congress Looks to Cut Funding for Public Broadcasting [NPR, 6/10/05]

>> UPDATE, 6/24/05: Public broadcasting budget cut defeated [Hnl Advertiser]