HR 69
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 69
To prohibit Federal funding of certain public radio programming,
to provide for the transfer of certain public radio funds to reduce the public
debt, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 5, 2011
Mr. LAMBORN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To prohibit Federal funding of certain public radio programming,
to provide for the transfer of certain public radio funds to reduce the public
debt, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON FEDERAL FUNDING OF CERTAIN PUBLIC RADIO PROGRAMMING.
(a) In General- No Federal funds may be made available--
(1) to an organization that is incorporated as of the date of the enactment
of this Act for each of the purposes described in subsection (c), or to
any successor organization; or
(2) for the acquisition of radio programs (including programs to be distributed
or disseminated over the Internet) from an organization described in paragraph
(1).
(b) Rule of Construction- Subsection (a)(2) shall not be construed to prohibit
the making available of Federal funds to any entity, including an entity that
engages in the acquisition described in such subsection, for purposes other
than such acquisition.
(c) Purposes Described- The purposes described in this subsection are the
following:
(1) To propose, plan and develop, to acquire, purchase and lease, to prepare,
produce and record, and to distribute, license and otherwise make available
radio programs to be broadcast over noncommercial educational radio broadcast
stations, networks and systems.
(2) To engage in research study activities with respect to noncommercial
educational radio programming and broadcasting.
(3) To lease, purchase, acquire and own, to order, have, use and contract
for, and to otherwise obtain, arrange for and provide technical equipment
and facilities for the production, recording and distribution of radio programs
for broadcast over noncommercial educational radio stations, networks and
systems.
(4) To establish and maintain one or more service or services for the production,
duplication, promotion and circulation of radio programs on tape, cassettes,
records or any other means or mechanism suitable for noncommercial educational
transmission and broadcast thereof.
(5) To cooperate and participate with foreign broadcasting systems and networks
in all aspects of international radio programming and broadcasting.
(6) To develop, prepare and publish information, data, reports and other
materials in support of or relating to noncommercial educational radio programming
and broadcasting.
(7) To otherwise forward and advance the development, production, distribution
and use of noncommercial educational radio programs, materials and services,
and to assist and support noncommercial educational radio broadcasting pursuant
to the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, as it may from time to time be amended.
(d) Definition- In this section, the term `Federal funds' means, with respect
to receipt by a non-Federal entity from the Federal Government, the following:
(4) Cooperative agreements.
(5) Direct appropriations.
SEC. 2. TRANSFER OF CERTAIN FUNDS TO REDUCE THE PUBLIC DEBT.
For fiscal years 2011 and 2012, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting shall
transfer to the account established by section 3113(d) of title 31, United
States Code, an amount equal to the amount allocated under clauses (ii) and
(iii) of section 396(k)(3)(A) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C.
396(k)(3)(A)) that would have been made available to an organization described
in subsection (a)(1) of section 1 or for the purpose described in subsection
(a)(2) of such section, but for the enactment of such section.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the Congressional Budget Office, the Government Accountability Office,
and the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
have found that unsustainable fiscal trends, driven by Federal spending,
represent a serious threat to the United States economy and the prosperity
of the American people;
(2) Government programs and services that can be funded privately, or that
are otherwise available within civil society, should not depend on taxpayer
funding;
(3) nondefense discretionary Federal spending should be significantly decreased,
and savings should be used for the purpose of paying down the public debt;
and
(4) beginning in fiscal year 2011, the annual budget deficit should be reduced
by not making available Federal funds as prohibited by section 1.
END
