Rep. Pete Aguilar announced that Empire KVCR, a public radio and television station operated by the San Bernardino Community College District, has received $377,529 in federal funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a congressionally-chartered nonprofit agency. The funding was made available through the American Rescue Plan, President Biden and Congressional Democrats’ landmark COVID-19 relief package.

“I helped pass the American Rescue Plan because every corner of our community has felt the effects of this crisis, and we need real relief. Inland Empire residents deserve to have access to local public news sources like the ones KVCR provides, and I’m proud to have supported this funding to help them maintain their operation and offset lost revenues as a result of the pandemic,” said Aguilar.

“Like so many in our community, KVCR has had a very challenging year, and these funds will help us tremendously in getting through it. We are grateful to Congressman Aguilar and our federal policymakers for making these funds possible, so the San Bernardino Community College District’s KVCR station continues providing daily local news, information, and educational radio and TV programming to our community,” said Dr. Anne Viricel, Chair of the SBCCD Board of Trustees.

Aguilar serves as Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, and as a Member of the House Appropriations Committee—the committee responsible for setting funding levels for federal programs and agencies.