PBS Reno Issues Response to
House Passing Rescissions Act of 2025
The Rescissions Act of 2025 will result in immediate and serious cuts of stations’ local services
and in some cases the total closure of stations, particularly in rural communities
RENO, NV (JUN 12, 2025) — Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025, which would rescind the previously appropriated FY 2026 and FY 2027 funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
This legislation passed by a vote of 214-212, with all Democrats present voting against the legislation, along with the following Republicans: Rep. Mark Amodei (NV), Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA), Rep. Mike Turner (OH) and Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (NY).
“We are deeply grateful for the support of Rep. Amodei and the other 211 representatives who voted against this legislation,” said Kurt Mische, PBS Reno President & CEO. “It shows the tremendous support that public television has in our nation and certainly in the region that we serve. Without Rep. Amodei’s staunch support of PBS Reno and public media, the vote would have been even more unbalanced. PBS Reno employees and the PBS Reno Board of Trustees do not take his support for granted.”
The U.S. Senate, which currently holds a Republican majority with 53 seats, is expected to vote on the legislation no later than July 18, which is when the Senate Parliamentarian has said the 45 days of privileged status would expire. The process and timing for how and when the Senate will consider the rescissions package is still unclear. Senators could try to amend the package or vote on the legislation as-is.
“We know we can count on U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto and U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen to vote against this rescissions package,” said Mische. “We will continue working with our congressional delegation to get federal funding reinstated for PBS Reno and our public broadcasting colleagues.”
Rep. Amodei, who also serves as Co-Chair of the Public Broadcasting Caucus in Washington, D.C., issued the following statement this afternoon:
“If we do not have time to think about it, we sure as hell have time to talk about it before October 1 when the impacts of these rescinded funds would start to be felt,” said Rep. Amodei. “This is forward funding. So, before we trigger major consequences for our local public broadcasting stations throughout the West and other rural areas, we need more discussion – rather than railroading folks over the East Coast’s editorials and indiscretions.
“I agree we must make meaningful cuts to shrink our federal deficit; however, I would be doing a disservice to the thousands of rural constituents in my district if I did not fight to keep their access to the rest of the world and news on the air.
“Having the ability to discuss real impacts, beyond just the global perspective, is a healthy and necessary step. I’m sure we will be voting on this again before the cake is fully baked, so I look forward to working with my colleagues to improve and protect this infrastructure our rural communities rely on.”
Kate Riley, President and CEO of America’s Public Television Stations, issued a statement this afternoon saying in part:
“America’s Public Television Stations are deeply disappointed that the House voted to completely defund the local public television stations throughout this country that provide exceptional lifesaving public safety services, proven educational services and community connections to their communities every day for free,” said Riley. “The vast majority of these devastating cuts will be borne by local public media stations and the communities that rely on them – many of which have no other access to locally controlled media.
“The federal investment in public media enables us to provide the delivery of geo-targeted wireless emergency alerts to cell phones, and the only nationwide situational awareness tool used by public safety officials to track and monitor the effectiveness of those alerts.
“We support families in preparing their kids for success in school and life with free, universally accessible, proven educational content, including for the over 50 percent of U.S. kids that don’t attend formal preschool. These are services that American families rely upon every day.”
Roughly 542,000 people tune into PBS Reno each month to watch PBS News Hour, Finding Your Roots, Antiques Roadshow, and trusted children’s programming; along with Wild Nevada, ARTEFFECTS, and other award-earning local productions. PBS Reno also provides nearly 7,000 free Curiosity Classroom workshops to more than 135,000 students in nine counties in northern and central Nevada and northeastern California. All of this work is the result of financial contributions from viewers, corporate support, and grants along with support from federal and state governments. This private-public blend of financial support is unique, effective, and has allowed PBS Reno and more than 300 other public televisions to operate for decades.
What can the community do to help? Visit Protect My Public Media where you can sign up for alerts and send messages to Nevada’s congressional delegation requesting that they protect the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the federal funding it provides to PBS Reno.
Nationwide, about 40,000 phone calls have been placed and 515,000 emails have been sent to Congress, through the direct advocacy of American Public Television Stations and local stations including PBS Reno, with the voices of community leaders and partner organizations, and with the overwhelming engagement of the American public through Protect My Public Media.
About PBS Reno
As of November 2024, PBS Reno is enjoyed by more than 540,000 monthly viewers in northern and central Nevada and northeastern California across several platforms including three broadcast channels (PBS Reno 5.1, Reno Create 5.2, and PBS KIDS on PBS Reno 5.3), a YouTube channel, YouTube TV, online, livestreams, and digital platforms. PBS Reno provides PBS national programming and award-earning, locally-produced content, with many local segments posted weekly to PBS Reno’s YouTube Channel. PBSReno.org provides engaging interactive content, including the video portal at watch.PBSReno.org that streams all locally-produced content and most PBS national content. PBS Reno serves students, teachers, parents and caregivers through immersive educational services including Curiosity Classroom Workshops that bring classroom lessons to life with standards-based lessons and activities. Through the support of local corporations and foundations, as well as thousands of individual members, PBS Reno has been delivering public television and educational services to the communities it serves since September 29, 1983.
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 community connections to their local areas and the American people. For more information, visit www.apts.org.
Contact us:
Membership Questions: membership@pbsreno.org
Programming Hotline: programming@pbsreno.org
Phone: 775.600.0555
Address: 1670 N. Virginia St. • Reno NV 89503