Tribal Media Leader Implores Senator to Reject Public Broadcasting Clawback

New York Times

16-07-2025

The head of a network of Native radio and television stations has privately appealed to a key Republican senator to oppose President Trump's move to claw back federal funding for public broadcasting, saying a deal the lawmaker made with the White House to blunt the cuts' impact was unworkable.
For weeks as the Senate has considered Mr. Trump's request to rescind $9 billion in congressionally approved spending, Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota had signaled that he might not support the package. His chief concern, he said, was that it would gut tribal radio stations that provide emergency communications and other important news to rural areas of his state where internet access is scarce.
But Mr. Rounds reversed course on Tuesday, saying he would vote in favor of the package, which also targets foreign aid spending, after being assured by top Trump administration officials that they would steer unspent funds 'to continue grants to tribal radio stations without interruption' for next year.
Loris Taylor, the president of Native Public Media, a network of 57 radio stations and four television stations, wrote to Mr. Rounds in an undated letter obtained by The New York Times warning against the proposal and urging him to vote against the rescissions package.
'While we recognize and appreciate the efforts of Congress and the White House to sustain tribal media, this proposal raises serious concerns regarding its feasibility, accessibility and sustainability,' Ms. Taylor wrote.
Mr. Rounds' support is critical to the success of the legislation, which the Senate advanced Tuesday night over the opposition of Democrats and three Republicans who argued that Congress should not relinquish its power over federal spending. If Republicans were to lose any more votes, the package would fail.
They were hoping to approve it as soon as Wednesday.
The source of the funding the administration plans to redirect to tribal stations is unclear. Mr. Rounds had suggested the White House would steer unspent funds allocated by Congress when it passed a sweeping climate law under President Joseph R. Biden Jr.
But Russell T. Vought, the White House budget director, told E&E News that it would not. 'There's money that's been around for a long time that we can purpose for what's needed,' he said.
That appeared to be a key concern for Ms. Taylor.
'There is currently no clear path for redirecting these funds to tribal broadcasters without significant legislative and administrative changes,' she wrote.