CONGRESSMAN BISHOP CONTINUES TO OPPOSE BILL THAT THREATENS PUBLIC BROADCASTING CRUCIAL TO RURAL COMMUNITIES, AMERICA’S GLOBAL LEADERSHIP

July 18, 2025
Press Release

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) voted against a bill that would take back $9.4 billion in funds that were already Congressionally approved and signed into law. These funds were approved by Congress and signed into law earlier this year. H.R. 4 was previously considered by the U.S. House but was since modified by the U.S. Senate to restore $400 million in funds for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, A George W. Bush-era program which has helped prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths a year.

“Despite restoring of PEPFAR funds, this bill remains a gut punch to rural America and underserved communities. It cripples public broadcasting which jeopardizes coverage of local news, emergency information like severe weather alerts and other natural disasters. It undermines access to educational programming like PBS KIDS children’s Sesame Street. It gives up American leadership and influence on the world stage by gutting life-saving programs that help prevent pandemics, provide clean water, and help America’s agricultural producers be a part of the fight against hunger around the world,” said Congressman Bishop.

“And it must not be lost among the discussion of cuts and costs that the Administration has been illegally impounding funds that they are obligated to distribute,’ added Congressman Bishop. “It is also important to remember why this is happening. This bill rubber-stamps unconstitutional withholding of funds so that Republicans in Congress can redistribute it as tax cuts to billionaires.”

The Recissions Act of 2025 (H.R. 4) would:

  • Eliminate $1.1 billion from public broadcasting, cutting off local PBS and NPR stations that provide children’s programming like Sesame Street and emergency alerts to rural communities.
  • Cancel nearly $8 billion in foreign aid, including:
    • $2.5 billion in development assistance abroad, including clean water, agricultural support, and food aid.
    • Nearly $500 million in global health programs such as maternal health and infectious disease control.
    • $800 million in refugee assistance, cutting support for displaced families worldwide.
    • $496 million in disaster aid.  

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