WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A hearing is set to take place in a US court on March 24 in the lawsuit filed by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty against the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) “to avoid irreparable harm” to the broadcaster over the withholding of its Congress-approved grant as part of the agency’s efforts to terminate RFE/RL’s funding.
The US District Court for the District of Columbia will hear arguments from both sides in the case starting at 2 p.m. local time.
RFE/RL is demanding that the USAGM, which supervises US government-backed broadcasters such as RFE/RL and Voice of America (VOA), release $7.5 million to RFE/RL that covers the period from March 1 to March 15, the day the USAGM said funding from the Congress-approved grant for RFE/RL had been terminated. The lawsuit argues that denying access to funds appropriated by Congress for RFE/RL violates federal laws and the US Constitution, which gives Congress the ultimate authority over federal spending.
It also asks the court to grant a temporary restraining order (TRO) to release the March funds to limit damaging the broadcaster. RFE’s legal moves also seek the remainder of the grant funds due for the full 2025 budget year, which ends on September 30. A preliminary injunction hearing is scheduled for mid-April for that balance.
“Terminating our freelance contracts and furloughing our employees will significantly impede our ability to deliver uncensored news in the 23 countries we serve,” RFE/RL Presiden.
