U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) is a cosponsor of legislation filed to defund both National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) after confrontational testimony in Congress saw the heads of the public broadcasters accused of political partisanship.
Burchett is listed among the cosponsors of the No Partisan Radio and Partisan Broadcasting Services Act, introduced last week by U.S. Representatives Ronny Jackson (R-TX-13) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA-14), who chairs the House Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) subcommittee.
The legislation would strip all federal funding from NPR and PBS. Jackson said they “do not deserve another dime of federal support” if they “want to push partisan agendas,” while Greene called them “taxpayer-funded PR arms of the Democrat Party” who can oppose Republicans “on their own dime.”
Lawmakers unveiled the legislation just two days after Greene’s DOGE subcommittee, of which Burchett is a member, questioned NPR CEO Katherine Maher and PBS executive Sylvia Bugg over reported partisanship at the taxpayer-funded outlets.
Burchett saw a viral moment during the hearings when he questioned Maher about the claim that “God Bless the U.S.A.” by Lee Greenwood is “propaganda,” as was advanced by an individual NPR interviewed in January.
“Why did you call President Trump a fascist and a deranged racist sociopath,” Burchett questioned Maher, quoting her previous statement about the president, prompting the executive to suggest her words were taken out of context.
After the hearing, Burchett wrote in a post to the social platform X that both outlets “should not be receiving federal money.”
He stated in a video uploaded to X, “It’s just unbelievable, the far left agenda they’re allowed to perpetrate in this country, at taxpayer’s expense. Imagine of Fox or Real America’s Voice, or anybody else, Newsmax, if they were allowed to receive federal money. There would be an outcry, and there should be.”
Burchett added, “It’s not a First Amendment issue, they can say whatever the heck they want. The American taxpayer shouldn’t have to pay a dadgum red cent to it,” before expressing hope that Congress would find the resolve necessary to tackle such cuts.
The Tennessee Republican recently predicted DOGE investigations would lead Elon Musk and other watchdogs to members of Congress, who he suggested have enriched themselves through their votes on key legislation.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Tim Burchett” by Tim Burchett. Background Photo “NPR Building” by Aude. CC BY-SA 2.5.
I would hope to see all Tennessee Congress members sponsor this long overdue waste of tax dollars.
I don’t expect Steve Cohen & probably no Dems actually. Tgey are following Jasmine Crockett lead to destruction.