House Republicans Move to Defund NPR 👍

Several House Republicans are introducing legislation to prohibit federal funding for National Public Radio (NPR) following the suspension and resignation of an editor who revealed overt levels of partisanship in the company's newsroom.

Reps. Claudia Tenney of New York, Jim Banks of Indiana, and Bob Good of Virginia  are set to introduce legislation to end federal funding for NPR, including barring local public radio stations from utilizing money from federal grants to purchase content or pay dues to NPR. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., reportedly also is considering options to sever federal funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which gives NPR grants.

"American taxpayers should not be forced to fund NPR, which has become a partisan propaganda machine," Tenney said Friday in a news release. "My legislation, the Defund NPR Act of 2024, ensures no federal funding is used to perpetuate the media bias that has taken over NPR. As a former newspaper owner and publisher, I understand the importance of nonpartisan, balanced media coverage, and have seen first-hand the left-wing bias in our news media. These disturbing reports out of NPR confirm what many have known for a long time: NPR is using American taxpayer dollars to manipulate the news and lie to the American people on behalf of a political agenda."

Former NPR editor and self-described liberal Uri Berliner wrote a story in The Free Press on April 9 that revealed NPR reporters and editors openly made editorial decisions to tear down former President Donald Trump and prop up President Joe Biden. In one instance, reporters ignored the Hunter Biden laptop scandal in October 2020, claiming the story could help re-elect Trump. Berliner was suspended for five days but instead resigned.

"Too many media outlets push their slanted agenda instead of reporting the news," Good told The Federalist. "National Public Radio has a track record of promoting an anti-American narrative on the taxpayer dime, while suppressing dissenting viewpoints. My legislation would ensure no taxpayer dollars are used to fund the woke, leftist propaganda of National Public Radio."

Also, Katherine Maher, NPR’s new CEO, has made public, partisan statements, including, "Donald Trump is a racist," and condoning rioters during Black Lives Matter protests.

"NPR’s new CEO is a radical, left-wing activist who doesn’t believe in free speech or objective journalism," Banks said Friday in a news release. "Katherine Maher isn’t qualified to teach an introductory journalism class, much less capable of responsibly spending millions of American tax dollars."

NPR defenders have said the radio network receives just 1% federal funding, but that’s not the case, according to The Federalist.

"NPR may receive little direct federal funding, but a good deal of its budget comprises federal funds that flow to it indirectly by federal law," Howard Husock of the American Enterprise Institute wrote last year in an op-ed for The Hill headlined, "The Truth About NPR’s Funding — and its Possible Future."

Michael Katz ✉

Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.

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