Dave Loebsack on Funding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 Continuing Appropriations Act.  I'm honored to represent you.  Your opinion is very important to me and my priority is to provide Iowa's Second District with the best representation possible.
 
On February 1, 2010, President Obama released his FY 2011 budget proposal.  Unfortunately, and much to my disappointment, the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate were unable to come to an agreement on the 12 regular appropriations bills by the end of FY 2010 on September 30, 2010.  In response, Congress agreed to continue FY 2010 funding levels for government operations through March 4, 2011 (P.L. 111-322). 
 
On February 19, 2011, the House of Representatives Majority Party passed the FY 2011 Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act (H.R. 1). While I agree that living within our means is part of a responsible fiscal strategy, I could not support the indiscriminate cuts that harm our economic recovery, put our children at a competitive disadvantage or threaten our long-term fiscal sustainability.
 
H.R. 1 included the elimination of public funding for the Corporation of Public Broadcasting (CPB).  The CPB offers high-quality, non-partisan news, educational resources for our children, and local and cultural programs all across the United States.  As a long-time listener of Iowa Public Radio, and a member of the Public Broadcasting Caucus, I was deeply disappointed that the House Majority eliminated funding for the CPB and strongly opposed the cut.  Before H.R. 1 was brought to the floor for a vote, I wrote a letter to House Leadership urging that funding for CPB be placed back in H.R. 1.  Unfortunately, funding for the CPB was not included when H.R. 1 passed the House of Representatives on February 19, 2011.
 
The FY 2011 Continuing Appropriations Act has been referred to the Senate for their consideration.  Please be assured that I will continue to work toward a balanced approach to get our fiscal house in order while continuing to promote job creation and economic recovery. There is no doubt that tough choices need to be made, but we must work together to make thoughtful decisions that promote economic recovery, create jobs, improve our communities, enhance our global competitiveness, eliminate unnecessary spending, and guarantee the long-term fiscal health for our nation.
 
Thank you again for contacting me about this important issue.  My office is here to assist you with any and all concerns you have, so please do not hesitate to contact me whenever you feel that I can be of assistance.  I encourage you to visit my website at http://www.loebsack.house.gov and sign up for my e-newsletters to stay informed of the work I'm doing for you.  I am proud to serve the Second District, and I am committed to working hard for Iowans.

Dave Loebsack
Iowa's Second District

~Congressman
Dave Loebsack was first elected to the United States House of
Representatives in 2006 and represents the Second District of Iowa. He serves on The House Education and Labor Committee and The House Armed Services Committee. To learn more about Congressman Loebsack click here.