Early Thursday morning, the U.S. Senate passed its amended version of the Rescissions Act of 2025, which includes the proposed rescission of $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). This vote brings the bill one step closer to becoming law — and one step closer to eliminating future federal support for public media.
The rescissions package totals more than $7 billion in cuts to foreign aid and public service programs. In addition to CPB funding for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, the bill targets USAID, global health programs, refugee aid and international peacekeeping funds. The Senate version includes exemptions for some programs, but not for CPB.
What does this mean for WJCT and public media nationwide?
If signed into law, the Rescissions Act will immediately strip CPB of its forward-funded appropriations. This means that public media television and radio stations across the country — including WJCT — will lose critical funding beginning in FY26, which begins October 1, 2025. WJCT relies on this federal support to provide trusted journalism, educational programming, emergency communications and cultural programming to everyone in our region, regardless of income or background.
Since the passage of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, CPB has been funded through bipartisan Congressional appropriations. That funding — roughly $1.60 per American per year — supports stations like WJCT in fulfilling their public service mission.
What happens next?
Because the Senate amended the bill, it must now go back to the House for a second vote. The House can vote to adopt the Senate version as-is or negotiate further changes. If passed in both chambers, the bill will head to the president’s desk.
The deadline to finalize the rescissions is July 18, 2025 — just one day away.
What can I do?
This is the time to act. Please call your U.S. representative now and urge them to vote no on the Senate-amended Rescissions Act of 2025. Let them know that public media matters to you and to the communities we serve. Every call makes a difference.
WJCT Public Media has served Northeast Florida since 1958. With your help, we will continue to do so for generations to come.