Today, the President submitted his Fiscal Year 2008 budget to Congress, recommending the following for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB): a $50 million rescission from the $400 million already appropriated by Congress for FY 2008; no advance appropriation for FY 2010; and no additional funding in FY 2008 for digital conversion or upgrades to the Public Radio Satellite System (although CPB would be permitted to use a portion of its FY 2008 regular appropriation for these purposes). In addition, the president proposed to fund Ready To Learn (RTL) at $24 million in FY 2008, a slight decrease from the current fiscal year. If enacted, these FY 2008 funding levels would represent a nearly 25 percent reduction from CPB's FY 2007 levels, and would be felt in all CPB programs, including station CSGs.

These recommendations are similar to those made by the President last year, and as last year, they represent only the beginning of a long appropriations process in which Congress will consider the needs of public broadcasters. Congress is now completing work on the FY2007 appropriation. We are encouraged by the House action last week that would provide an advance appropriation for FY 2009 as well as additional funds for digital conversion and television interconnection for FY2007.

This week, CPB will be transmitting its request to Congress for an advance appropriation for FY 2010 as well as funding for digital conversion, radio interconnection and Ready To Learn for FY 2008. CPB, PBS, NPR and APTS look forward to discussing our appropriations request with the new Congress and to working with both the House and Senate as this process moves forward.