GOP Rep. Doug Lamborn on defunding NPR: "Let's let them loose"
In a 228 to 192 vote Thursday afternoon, the House passed a bill designed to defund NPR.
On Washington Unplugged, CBS News senior political producer Jill Jackson spoke with Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn, who introduced the bill.
Lamborn told Jackson, "NPR can survive on its own. It has quality programming... They could survive and even thrive. So let's let them loose from taxpayer subsidies."
The congressman aimed to defund NPR long before the fallout over Juan Williams last fall and the controversial video featuring former fundraising executive Ron Schiller last week.
"It's a spending issue," he said. "We can no longer afford to spend money on things that can survive on their own... So, we have to start somewhere."
Lamborn also stressed that this isn't a crusade against media organizations some deem "liberal" or "left-wing" saying, "I would be doing this if this was right-leaning or neutral because there's no need for government to be subsidizing media."
While this may be a victory for opponents of NPR, it is not expected to become law as the bill has slim chances in the Senate and does not have President Obama's support.
To that Lamborn said, "In this day and age, if they want to keep spending money on things that the American people think do not need the funding... they can make that choice... I think it's a mistake and the voters will remember that."
Watch Jill Jackson's interview with Lamborn above.
