00                       HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 24                                                                     
01 Urging the United States Congress to refrain from rescinding earlier approved funds for                                 
02 the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.                                                                                
03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
04 WHEREAS the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a private, nonprofit                                               
05 corporation authorized by the United States Congress in the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967                             
06 and its mission is to ensure access to noncommercial, high-quality content and                                          
07 telecommunications services; and                                                                                        
08       WHEREAS the Corporation for Public Broadcasting funds a network of independent                                  
09 stations that provides free and accessible programs and community services to nearly 99                                 
10 percent of the nation, regardless of population density, income, or geographic challenges; and                          
11       WHEREAS the Corporation for Public Broadcasting does not produce programming                                    
12 or manage stations but acts as the steward for the federal appropriation for public media; and                          
13       WHEREAS the state has 27 public radio stations and four public television stations                              
14 that serve communities across the state, and these stations provide essential services,                                 
15 including emergency alerts, weather reports, and local news; and                                                        
16       WHEREAS some rural stations in the state rely on funding from the Corporation for                               
01 Public Broadcasting for over 50 percent of the station's operational budget; and                                        
02       WHEREAS the Juneau public broadcasting station provides access to state                                         
03 government through the statewide broadcast of Gavel Alaska; and                                                         
04       WHEREAS the Corporation for Public Broadcasting plays a critical role in sustaining                             
05 stations in the state where local fundraising can be limited by population density and                                  
06 geographic challenges; and                                                                                              
07       WHEREAS federal funding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting only costs                                   
08 each American taxpayer about $1.60 a year; and                                                                          
09       WHEREAS the President of the United States has proposed rescinding                                              
10 $1,100,000,000 of prior funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the United                               
11 States Congress will be able to vote to support or reject this proposal on a simple majority                            
12 within 45 days after the request is introduced;                                                                         
13 BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the United States                                              
14 Congress to refrain from rescinding earlier approved funds for the Corporation for Public                               
15 Broadcasting.                                                                                                           
16 COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President                                   
17 of the United States; the Honorable Lisa Murkowski and the Honorable Dan Sullivan, U.S.                                 
18 Senators, and the Honorable Nicholas Begich, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska                                 
19 delegation in Congress; and all other members of the 119th United States Congress.