At a time of record-high debt and growing public distrust in the media, one thing is clear: American taxpayers should not be forced to bankroll partisan content. That’s why the House just passed – again – a bold rescissions package that takes a stand for fiscal responsibility and fairness. This legislation, championed by President Trump and House conservatives, claws back billions in unnecessary spending, including long-overdue cuts to NPR and PBS. This is a win for taxpayers. It’s a win for accountability. And it’s a clear sign that House Republicans are serious about reining in waste and restoring trust in government.
Let’s be honest: NPR and PBS are no longer neutral arbiters of news or culture. NPR’s own internal turmoil, from its CEO acknowledging left-wing bias to high-profile journalists resigning over editorial censorship, has laid bare what many conservatives have known for years. For example, PBS used your tax dollars to promote a documentary centered on “a trans teen navigating adolescence, sobriety, and the physical and emotional consequences of gender transition” – a clear example of taxpayer-funded gender ideology being pushed under the banner of public broadcasting. These platforms have become echo chambers for progressive elites, often dismissing conservative viewpoints and traditional values as fringe or dangerous.
There is nothing inherently wrong with a media outlet taking a political opinion. But it is wrong to compel hardworking Americans to subsidize content that mocks or ignores their deeply held beliefs. In a truly free society, journalism should stand on its own merit, without the help of federal handouts.
And this isn’t a matter of pennies. Public broadcasting receives over $500 million per year through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and associated grants. That’s half a billion dollars that could be used to reduce the deficit, support veterans, invest in rural infrastructure, or repurposed for truly nonpartisan priorities.
Defenders of public broadcasting claim that NPR and PBS are essential to rural or educational programming. But let’s not kid ourselves: in 2025, Americans have more access to news, entertainment, and learning tools than ever before – online, on demand, and without taxpayer support.
This rescissions package is not just good policy, it’s a promise kept. Republicans have campaigned for years on cutting waste and standing up to the media establishment. With the House’s passage, we’ve taken a strong step toward delivering on that promise.
Unfortunately, the Senate chose to gut the final package, trimming $400 million in savings and weakening some of its most critical reforms. That’s a disappointment. It backs down from what the American people sent us to do and what President Trump requested – compounded by their choice to jam the House with the amended version just days before the deadline. But thanks to the House’s persistence, we’re still delivering a victory for taxpayers and sending a clear message: business as usual in Washington won’t cut it anymore.
We’re not done yet. But with each step, we’re moving closer to the kind of government Americans actually want – one that’s accountable, focused, and firmly rooted in common sense.
Let’s keep going and keep putting America first.
Sheri Biggs represents South Carolina’s Third Congressional District in the House of Representatives. She serves on the Homeland Security, Foreign Affairs, and Science, Space, and Technology Committees.
Congresswoman Mary Miller represents the 15th District of Illinois in the United States House of Representatives, where she serves on the House Committee on Agriculture and serves as the Vice Chair of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.
(Featured Image Media Credit: Screen Capture/National Public Radio)
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