Congress · Laws

Public Broadcasting Financing Act of 1975

Public Law 94-192 · H.R. 6461 · 94th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Dec 31, 1975 · Science, Technology, Communications

Sponsor: Rep. Torbert Macdonald (D-MA-7)

Cosponsors (7): Rep. John Murphy, Rep. Charles Carney,

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 313 yea, 72 nay313–72
SenateMethod not stated

Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Public Broadcasting Financing Act - Establishes the Public Broadcasting Fund, and authorizes appropriations to it for the fiscal years during the period from July 1, 1975, through September 30, 1980, based on a percentage of the amounts received by public broadcasting entities from non-Federal sources.

Provides that the funds authorized by this Act shall be used solely for the expenses of the Public Broadcasting Corporation, and that the Corporation shall determine the amount of non-Federal financial support received by public broadcasting entities for the purpose of determining the amount of each authorization, and shall certify such amount to the Secretary of the Treasury.

Directs a significant portion of the monies from the Fund to be used for development and dissemination of instructional programming, and solely for the expenses of the Public Broadcasting Corporation.

Requires the Corporation to reserve for distribution among the licensees and permittees of noncommercial educational broadcast stations on the air an amount not less than 40 percent of funds disbursed to the Corporation from the Fund in fiscal year 1975, and up to a percentage of 50 percent or more in fiscal year 1980.

Sets forth a formula for allocation of such funds among licensees and permittees on the basis of eligibility criteria that promote the public interest in noncommercial educational broadcasting. States that no distribution of such funds shall exceed in any fiscal year one-half of a licensee's or permittee's total non-Federal financial support during the fiscal year second preceding the fiscal year in which such distribution is made.

Prescribes the uses of such funds by licensees and permittees.

Makes officers and directors of the Corporation available to testify before appropriate committees of the Congress for specified purposes.

Defines "non-Federal financial support" and "public broadcasting entity," for purposes of this Act.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 94th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 313 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

313 yea74 nay47 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(209)

Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
Rep. Phillip BurtonD-CA-6
Rep. Benjamin RosenthalD-NY-8
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. William BarrettD-PA-1
Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
Rep. Robert NixD-PA-2
Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-1
Rep. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
Rep. Charles CarneyD-OH-19
Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
Rep. John BurtonD-CA-5
Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
Rep. Patsy MinkD-HI-2
Rep. James ScheuerD-NY-11
Rep. John McFallD-CA-14
Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
Rep. Joshua EilbergD-PA-4
Rep. Robert LeggettD-CA-4
Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
Rep. Lloyd MeedsD-WA-2
Rep. John FaryD-IL-5
Rep. Ray MaddenD-IN-1
Rep. Helen MeynerD-NJ-13
Rep. Edward MezvinskyD-IA-1
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Michael HarringtonD-MA-6
Rep. Thomas MorganD-PA-22
Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
Rep. John MurphyD-NY-17
Rep. Richard NolanD-MN-6
Rep. Spark MatsunagaD-HI-1
Rep. Floyd HicksD-WA-6
Rep. James BurkeD-MA-11
Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
Rep. Edward PattenD-NJ-15
Rep. Morgan MurphyD-IL-2
Rep. Abner MikvaD-IL-10
Rep. Joseph KarthD-MN-4
Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-30
Rep. James O’HaraD-MI-12
Rep. Edward BeardD-RI-2
Rep. James WeaverD-OR-4
Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-14
Rep. Teno RoncalioD-WY
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
Rep. Daniel FloodD-PA-11
Rep. John DentD-PA-21
Rep. Robert BerglandD-MN-7
Rep. Lucien NedziD-MI-14
Rep. William MoorheadD-PA-14
Rep. Jerry PattersonD-CA-38
Rep. Paul SarbanesD-MD-3
Rep. Joseph VigoritoD-PA-24
Rep. John PatmanD-TX-1
Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
Rep. Paul TsongasD-MA-5
Rep. Lionel Van DeerlinD-CA-42
Rep. Philip HayesD-IN-8
Rep. Joseph EvinsD-TN-4
Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
Rep. James HanleyD-NY-32
Rep. William GreenD-PA-3
Rep. Mario BiaggiD-NY-10
Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
Rep. Robert JonesD-AL-5
Rep. Donald RiegleD-MI-7
Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
Rep. Wayne HaysD-OH-18
Rep. James DelaneyD-NY-9
Rep. Tim HallD-IL-15
Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Leo ZeferettiD-NY-15
Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. William HungateD-MO-9
Rep. Brock AdamsD-WA-7
Rep. William CotterD-CT-1
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
Rep. Herbert HarrisD-VA-8
Rep. Richard Vander VeenD-MI-5
Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
Rep. Paul SimonD-IL-24
Rep. Toby MoffettD-CT-6
Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-27
Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
Rep. Leo RyanD-CA-11
Rep. James SymingtonD-MO-2
Rep. Robert CornellD-WI-8
Rep. James FlorioD-NJ-1
Rep. Frank EvansD-CO-3
Rep. Edward PattisonD-NY-29
Rep. James BlanchardD-MI-18
Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
Rep. Mike McCormackD-WA-4
Rep. Alvin BaldusD-WI-3
Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
Rep. Don BonkerD-WA-3
Rep. James LloydD-CA-35
Rep. Max BaucusD-MT-1
Rep. George ShipleyD-IL-22
Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-37
Rep. Joseph FisherD-VA-10
Rep. Michael BlouinD-IA-2
Rep. Allan HoweD-UT-2
Rep. Mark HannafordD-CA-34
Rep. Koln McKayD-UT-1
Rep. John JenretteD-SC-6
Rep. Otis PikeD-NY-1
Rep. Lester WolffD-NY-6
Rep. John KrebsD-CA-17
Rep. Joseph EarlyD-MA-3
Rep. Timothy WirthD-CO-2
Rep. Robert GiaimoD-CT-3
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
Rep. Mendel DavisD-SC-1
Rep. John SlackD-WV-3
Rep. Martha KeysD-KS-2
Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. Robert DuncanD-OR-3
Rep. Lunsford PreyerD-NC-6
Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
Rep. Jerome AmbroD-NY-3
Rep. John YoungD-TX-14
Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-7
Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-36
Rep. Theodore RisenhooverD-OK-2
Rep. Jerry LittonD-MO-6
Rep. Thomas AshleyD-OH-9
Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-4
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. Norman D’AmoursD-NH-1
Rep. Tom HarkinD-IA-5
Rep. Kenneth HollandD-SC-5
Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
Rep. Martin RussoD-IL-3
Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
Rep. Berkley BedellD-IA-6
Rep. William RandallD-MO-4
Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
Rep. Les AuCoinD-OR-1
Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
Rep. Floyd FithianD-IN-2
Rep. James SantiniD-NV
Rep. John RoushD-IN-4
Rep. Bo GinnD-GA-1
Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-10
Rep. Richard WhiteD-TX-16
Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
Rep. David HendersonD-NC-3
Rep. George MahonD-TX-19
Rep. Walter FlowersD-AL-7
Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
Rep. Paul RogersD-FL-11
Rep. Robert KruegerD-TX-21
Rep. Jack HightowerD-TX-13
Rep. James JonesD-OK-1
Rep. Herbert RobertsD-TX-4
Rep. David BowenD-MS-2
Rep. David EvansD-IN-6
Rep. Robert SikesD-FL-1
Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
Rep. Otto PassmanD-LA-5
Rep. Roy TaylorD-NC-11
Rep. Ronald MottlD-OH-23
Rep. William ChappellD-FL-4
Rep. Elliott LevitasD-GA-4
Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
Rep. Lawrence FountainD-NC-2
Rep. James HaleyD-FL-8
Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-11
Rep. Richard IchordD-MO-8
Rep. Williamson StuckeyD-GA-8
Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Rep. Thomas DowningD-VA-1
Rep. James MannD-SC-4
Rep. Dale MilfordD-TX-24
Rep. Goodloe ByronD-MD-6
Rep. Joseph WaggonnerD-LA-4
Rep. Harold RunnelsD-NM-2
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Dan DanielD-VA-5

Republicans who voted yea(104)

Rep. Charles WhalenR-OH-3
Rep. Peter PeyserR-NY-23
Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
Rep. Edward BiesterR-PA-8
Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-34
Rep. Margaret HecklerR-MA-10
Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. Henry HeinzR-PA-18
Rep. William WalshR-NY-33
Rep. Larry PresslerR-SD-1
Rep. Mark AndrewsR-ND
Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
Rep. Tim CarterR-KY-5
Rep. Donald MitchellR-NY-31
Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
Rep. Pete McCloskeyR-CA-12
Rep. William CohenR-ME-2
Rep. Jim JeffordsR-VT
Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
Rep. David EmeryR-ME-1
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
Rep. Charles MosherR-OH-13
Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
Rep. James ClevelandR-NH-2
Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
Rep. John AndersonR-IL-16
Rep. Thad CochranR-MS-4
Rep. John BuchananR-AL-6
Rep. Pierre du PontR-DE
Rep. Tennyson GuyerR-OH-4
Rep. Albert JohnsonR-PA-23
Rep. Garner ShriverR-KS-4
Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-2
Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5
Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. John JarmanD-OK-5
Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
Rep. Philip RuppeR-MI-11
Rep. James AbdnorR-SD-2
Rep. Joe SkubitzR-KS-5
Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-41
Rep. Charles ThoneR-NE-1
Rep. Burt TalcottR-CA-16
Rep. Albert QuieR-MN-1
Rep. Alphonzo BellR-CA-27
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Shirley PettisR-CA-37
Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. Louis FreyR-FL-9
Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-43
Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
Rep. Skip BafalisR-FL-10
Rep. William MooreR-LA-6
Rep. Elford CederbergR-MI-10
Rep. Marion SnyderR-KY-4
Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
Rep. Robert DanielR-VA-4
Rep. Garry BrownR-MI-3
Rep. Virginia SmithR-NE-3
Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
Rep. Manuel LujánR-NM-1
Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. Keith SebeliusR-KS-1
Rep. Chuck GrassleyR-IA-3
Rep. John WydlerR-NY-5
Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-19
Rep. Robert McEwenR-NY-30
Rep. Robert KastenR-WI-9
Rep. William SteigerR-WI-6
Rep. Edwin EshlemanR-PA-16
Rep. Alan SteelmanR-TX-5
Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
Rep. Thomas HagedornR-MN-2
Rep. Gary MyersR-PA-25
Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
Rep. Gene TaylorR-MO-7
Rep. Jack KempR-NY-38
Rep. John McCollisterR-NE-2
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6
Rep. Barry GoldwaterR-CA-20
Rep. William KetchumR-CA-18
Rep. David TreenR-LA-3
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. Robin BeardR-TN-6
Rep. Clarence BrownR-OH-7
Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-1
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-22
Rep. Thomas KindnessR-OH-8
Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-35
Rep. Edward HutchinsonR-MI-4
Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
Rep. Delwin ClawsonR-CA-33

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 596 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Appropriations Committee · House · referred to, reported by
Energy and Commerce Committee · House · referred to, reported by

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.

Dec 31, 1975Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
PresidentPresident · Public law 94-192.
Dec 19, 1975PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
Dec 18, 1975PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
Dec 17, 1975Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report, roll call #806 (313-72).House roll call 806
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report, roll call #806 (313-72).House roll call 806
Dec 11, 1975Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 94-713.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 94-713.
Dec 10, 1975Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
Dec 1, 1975Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
Nov 19, 1975Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
Nov 17, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, in lieu of S. 2584, roll call #495 (67-6).Senate roll call 495
Nov 10, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #684 (336-26).House roll call 684
Jul 22, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Appropriations Committee
May 22, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Appropriations Committee
CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Energy and Commerce Committee
Apr 29, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee
IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House

Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.