WASHINGTON & SANTA FE, NM (By Catalina Camia, USA Today) March 17, 2011 — The House will vote on a bill today to eliminate taxpayer funds for NPR, a week after a fundraising executive was caught on video saying the organization would be better off without government support.

The legislation by Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., will likely pass the GOP-led House but face an uphill battle in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

"We should stop funding organizations that can stand on their own feet," said Lamborn, who has pushed to defund NPR long before the scandal erupted over the secretly taped video.

Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., chided Republicans for trying to deprive Americans of popular programs such as Car Talk and A Prairie Home Companion, which would do little in the long run to erase the nation's red ink.

NPR reports that 2% of its funding comes from grants through government agencies, such as the Department of Education. The bulk of NPR's revenue -- about 40% -- comes from member stations who pay fees for programming.

Under Lamborn's bill, local stations would still be able to use taxpayer funding for administrative purposes.

NPR has been under increased scrutiny since a secretly taped video was released last week in which then-fundraiser Ron Schiller is heard slamming the Tea Party movement and making comments about NPR's funding.

This morning, leaders of a Tea Party organization said NPR should lose its funding but contend there is a larger debate that should occur.

"While the defunding of NPR is a given at this this point...how long will we as a nation be willing to tolerate the arrogance of the self-appointed ruling elite," write Mark Meckler and Jenny Beth Martin, co-founders of the Tea Party Patriots, in an op-ed for The Hill.

Jon Garrido, owner and CEO of Latino News, New Mexico News, and Hispanic News, the number 1 ranked Hispanic site by Google stated, "The loss of funding for NPR will have no impact on Hispanics given the fact the NPR website does not have one single article about Hispanics. There are articles about minorities but only blacks. Considering Hispanics are the largest minority population in the United States shows NPR thinks the only important minority are blacks. This is a slap to Hispanics. Latino News, Hispanic News and New Mexico News supports cutting the deficit by eliminating funding for programs that are not inclusive, bias and do not serve a national agenda."