U.S. Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kansas)
Statement for the Record
Corporation for Public Broadcasting Oversight of Recipients
December 21, 2005
Mr. President, I rise to today reaffirm the Corporation for Public
Broadcasting’s requirement to ensure “strict adherence to objectivity
and balance in all programs or series of programs of a controversial
nature.” CPB receives roughly $400 million from Congress as part of the
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations bill.
CPB’s requirement to see that recipients like the Public Broadcasting
Service and National Public Radio uphold the objectivity and balance
standard does not stem from congressional micro-management or partisan
interference. Rather, it is a matter of complying with the law under
which CPB dispenses taxpayers’ money.
That law mandates CPB to see to both “maximum freedom of the public
telecommunications entities” and their “strict adherence to objectivity
and balance.” These mandates are not in conflict. Instead, they
complement each other, and to maintain Americans’ confidence in public
broadcasting the Corporation for Public Broadcasting must see that both
mandates are fulfilled. Congress and the taxpayers expect nothing less.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.
