WASHINGTON, D.C. — The final fiscal year 2026 “minibus” package has been approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, and while it does restore any of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting dollars that were rescinded in 2025, it does put dollars toward noncommercial broadcast media’s Next Generation Warning System (NGWS).
A total of $48 million has been allocated for public broadcasting’s Next Generation Warning System for fiscal year 2026, integrated into a legislative plan that includes the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education (Labor-HHS-Education) bill and the Homeland Security bill.
That makes Kate Riley, President/CEO of advocacy group America’s Public Television Stations (APTS), pleased — despite the decision of Congressional Republicans to again withhold funding based on perceived news and commentary biases at both NPR and PBS stations. “We are grateful that the bill provides some funding for the important public safety and education services that public media provides in communities throughout the country,” Riley said.
NGWS, a program within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s FEMA, enhances local public broadcasting stations’ ability to provide alert and warning and interoperable public safety communications to communities across the country, and to incorporate emerging technology in those lifesaving activities. “Public broadcasting has long been a committed partner with the local, state and federal public safety community,” Riley commented. “That work depends on reliable and resilient public broadcasting infrastructure, which this program supports.”
The minibus package also includes FY 2026 funding of $31 million for “Ready To Learn,” a competitive grant program at the Department of Education that supports the creation and distribution of educational media content and services to millions of children across America.
The dollars for NGWS and for “Ready To Learn” are the results of an amendment from Republican House Members Don Bacon of Nebraska, and Mark Amodei of Nevada.
