US District Court Orders USAGM to Release RFE/RL Funding for May
(WASHINGTON) — Today, Judge Royce Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)’s third request for a temporary restraining order in its lawsuit against the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM).
In his ruling, the judge ordered USAGM to immediately disburse RFE/RL’s congressionally appropriated funds for the month of May. The judge rejected USAGM’s argument that the agency is not obligated to release the funds because other donors reportedly intend to provide financial support to RFE/RL to prevent its imminent collapse.
RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus said:
“The will of Congress is clear and now the court, yet again, agrees: RFE/RL is to receive its appropriated funds for May, now a full month past due, to continue operating in alignment with America’s vital national security and foreign policy objectives.
Our dedicated journalists are needlessly paying a steep price because of USAGM’s refusal to release our funds in a timely manner.”
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Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is a private, independent international news organization whose programs — radio, Internet, television, and mobile — reach a weekly audience of nearly 50 million people in 23 countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the republics of Central Asia and the Caucasus. It is funded by the U.S. Congress through USAGM.
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