MN's Congressional delegation votes on party lines on rescission package

WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly voted 214-212 to rescind $1.1 billion already awarded to public media organizations across the country.

Minnesota's Congressional delegation voted along party lines on Thursday, June 12, with three of the four Republicans voting in favor of rescission, and the four Democrats voting against. Rep. Brad Finstad of New Ulm did not vote.

The measure has until July 18 to pass in the Senate to become final. The Trump administration is using a rarely used tool to claw back funds already appropriated. The White House-sponsored rescission package would cancel $9.4 billion appropriated by Congress, most of which was for foreign aid and refugee assistance.

The rescission package also eliminates federal funding for the Corporation of Public Broadcasting, a nonprofit that funds mostly local public radio and television stations. It also gives a smaller portion to NPR and PBS.

At least four public radio stations in Northern Minnesota receive 30% or more of their funding from the CPB: Pioneer 90.1 in Thief River Falls, and the White Earth, Leech Lake and Bois Forte tribal stations.

Lakeland PBS in Bemidji and Brainerd is suing the Trump administration alongside PBS over its defunding efforts. It receives nearly 40% of its budget from federal sources.

Here at KAXE, 13% of our budget is funded by the CPB.

Congressman Pete Stauber and Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach — representing the two Northern Minnesota districts of the 8th and the 7th, respectively — joined Republican colleagues and voted in favor of rescission.

Just weeks before Thursday’s vote, however, Stauber sent letters to constituents indicating support for the CPB.

Stauber’s May 9 letter notes the importance of CPB funding for radio stations in his district. He also pointed to public broadcasting’s role in delivering children’s educational programming, emergency communications like Amber Alerts and the news.

"In northeastern Minnesota, CPB awards grants to local radio stations in Duluth, Brainerd, Bemidji, and Cass Lake and is often the radio station’s only source of funding. You will be pleased to know that I requested an increase in CPB funding to ensure the longevity of these important stations," the letter stated.

"Rest assured, I will keep the thoughts and the priorities of northern Minnesota in mind as Congress works through the appropriations process."

In response to a request for comment, Stauber's office sent KAXE an emailed statement after Thursday's vote.

“It has been rightly pointed out that NPR and PBS have been inappropriately using taxpayer dollars to subsidize politically biased content," Stauber stated. "Today’s rescission package eliminates future funding, providing an ample opportunity for us to work through the appropriations process to establish better guardrails.”

Congressman Tom Emmer also voted for rescission. Reps. Angie Craig, Ilhan Omar, Betty McCollum and Kelly Morrison voted against the package.

Inside KAXE

Official statement from KAXE on passage of HR 4 by the US House of Representatives

Sarah Bignall

KAXE responds to the House vote to rescind public media funding and urges the Senate to protect trusted local news, emergency alerts and community programming in Northern Minnesota.

Listen • 11:34

Editor's Note: As a public community radio station, KAXE is a direct recipient of funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

As with all content originating in the KAXE Newsroom, our news team maintained full editorial control on this story.