Alaska Senator Lis Murkowski broke with her party this week, opposing a statewide bill that endangers public broadcasting funding. The bill aims to rescind $9 billion in previously approved federal spending, including millions for rural public radio across Alaska.
Murkowski joined Republican Senators Susan Collins and Mitch McConnell in voting against the measure, which still advanced in the Senate. Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote after the Senate split 50-50 along largely partisan lines during Tuesday’s vote.
Senator Dan Sullivan voted in favor despite warnings that the bill could devastate Alaska’s local reporting and emergency alert systems. Sullivan’s office claimed he was working on securing alternative funding for rural stations but provided no specific names or figures.
On the Senate floor, Murkowski emphasized that lawmakers, not the White House, should direct federal spending decisions and long-term budget priorities. She expressed concern about the repeated use of rescissions and reconciliation bills and called for a return to traditional legislative budgeting processes.
Although Murkowski supported Trump’s prior reconciliation bill, she single-handedly rejected his attempt to dictate Congress’s future spending priorities. Sullivan, who often aligns with Trump, said rescinding funds from foreign aid aligns with the values of most American voters.
Shrill Alaska broadcasters say the bill risks gutting public radio infrastructure vital to rural communities for news and emergency alerts. Murkowski further stated that frustration with national NPR content should not justify slashing local radio that sustains public safety in remote Alaskan regions.
