Cantwell pushes back on Admin efforts to defund 14 Local Broadcasting Stations in WA

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on the Trump Administration’s rescission package that proposes to claw back $1.1 billion in funding already allocated by Congress for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

"President Trump's rescission package is another attempt to defund more than 1,500 local broadcasting stations across the country, including 14 in the State of Washington. As a result, millions of Americans—particularly in rural communities—will be cut off from local newsrooms, lifesaving emergency alerts, and programs they love.

"By clawing back our federal investment in non-partisan public broadcasting, the Trump Administration and Republicans are not only undermining laws on the books, but also the irreplaceable role public broadcasting plays in our communities."

These 14 stations in Washington state would be affected:

Public Television Stations

• KCTS-TV (Seattle)
• KSPS-TV (Spokane)
• KWSU-TV (Pullman)
• KBTC-TV (Tacoma)

Public Radio Stations

• KUOW-FM (Seattle)
• KEXP-FM (Seattle)
• KNKX-FM (Tacoma)
• KING-FM (Seattle)
• KWSU-AM (Pullman)
• KPBX-FM (Spokane)
• KDNA-FM (Granger)
• KNHC-FM (Seattle)
• KBCS-FM (Bellevue)
• KSVR-FM (Mount Vernon)

The average cost per American for public broadcasting is just $1.60 a year, and this funding supports 356 public TV stations and 1,190 public radio stations across the nation as of March 2025. 

CPB support is absolutely crucial for rural communities, and provides vital news and information in all 50 states. Senator Cantwell and public broadcasting travel host Rick Steves condemned the Trump Administration for its assault on the Corporation for Public Broadcasting last month.