As the Trump administration pushes to end federal funding for public media, Oregon emergency officials are warning of the risks such cuts to radio could pose to vital emergency communications and disaster response.
The Oregon Department of Emergency Management issued a release underscoring the irreplaceable role public radio plays in disaster response.
Oregon Statewide Interoperability and Watch Center Manager William Chapman commented, “Through partnerships with agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, public radio stations broadcast emergency messages, weather warnings, and evacuation orders to ensure that residents receive crucial updates – especially in areas where other forms of communication, like internet access and cellular service, is unavailable or disrupted.”
Federal funding has historically underwritten these public safety services, particularly in smaller and rural markets that could not maintain such infrastructure independently. Yet Trump’s latest budget proposals seek not only to eliminate new funding for public broadcasting but also claw back unspent appropriations, raising alarms from lawmakers, broadcasters, and now the emergency management community.
Oregon Department of Emergency Management Director Erin McMahon stated, “Public radio connects communities with lifesaving information and resources, ensures that emergency responders can coordinate effectively, and provides reassurance during uncertain times. Removing this safety net would leave many Oregonians dangerously vulnerable.”
On June 12, the US House voted 214-212 in favor of the Rescissions Act of 2025, which would claw back $1.1 billion previously allocated for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s 2026 and 2027 budgets. The move follows his earlier executive order blocking CPB funds to NPR and PBS, which has triggered legal challenges.
NPR CEO Katherine Maher called the vote “extraordinarily close” and thanked bipartisan supporters while urging the Senate to reject the measure. CPB CEO Patricia Harrison warned that cutting federal funding would harm millions who rely on public media. The bill now heads to the Senate, where its future remains uncertain ahead of a July 18 deadline.
