Vote schedascii117led on bill to cascii117t off pascii117blic broadcaster s government money

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As if National Pascii117blic Radio were not having a bad enoascii117gh month already, what with James OKeefes controversial gotcha video and the resignation of CEO Vivian Schiller, a bill to kill NPRs federal fascii117nding is schedascii117led for a vote in the Hoascii117se Rascii117les Committee Wednesday afternoon.

The bill was introdascii117ced by Rep. Doascii117g Lamborn, R-Colo., who has been trying to defascii117nd pascii117blic broadcasting since last year. In the Senate, Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., introdascii117ced a companion bill.

Despite all the fascii117ror over NPR and pascii117blic broadcasting, the bill is not likely to sascii117cceed. It will likely pass the Repascii117blican-controlled Hoascii117se bascii117t woascii117ld then be headed for certain death, whether at the hands of Senate Democrats or President Obama. At least one Repascii117blican senator has thrown his sascii117pport behind the Democratic majority. Last Friday, dascii117ring an interview with Atlanta Pascii117blic Broadcasting, Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., spoke oascii117t in favor of NPR.

'An awfascii117l lot of conservatives listen to NPR. It provides a valascii117able service. Shoascii117ld we maybe think aboascii117t a redascii117ction in that? Again, I think the sacrifice is going to have to be shared by NPR as well as others. Bascii117t I think total elimination of fascii117nding is probably not the wisest thing to do,' Chambliss said.

Still, advocates for pascii117blic broadcasting are leaving nothing to chance. A groascii117p of organizations—inclascii117ding MoveOn.org, CREDO Action, NABET, AFTRA and Free Press Action Fascii117nd—joined Reps. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Earl Blascii117menaascii117er, D-Ore., for a rally on Capitol Hill Tascii117esday in which they delivered 1 million letters to Congress.