The president and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) warned Monday of the negative effects that President Trump’s proposed budget cuts could have on public broadcasting.

Trump’s budget proposes eliminating federal funding for the CPB over a two-year period. The budget has to be approved by Congress before it can take effect.

In a statement released Monday, Patricia Harrison said that the “elimination of funding to CPB would at first devastate, and then ultimately destroy public media’s ability to provide early childhood content, life-saving emergency alerts, and public affairs programs.”

{mosads}”Public media benefits all Americans — whether they live in small towns, rural communities, or large urban areas,” the statement said.

“Americans rely on public media for high-quality educational and informational programs that are proven to get their children ready to learn, and that provide opportunities for lifelong learning.”

Harrison said that federal funding lets the organization continue to “tell America’s changing story in a way that enhances civic engagement and connects us to on another.”

“We will continue to raise awareness in Congress and the Administration about the valued content and services local public television and radio stations provide to their communities and the vital role federal funding plays in supporting them,” Harrison said in the statement.

Paula Kerger, president and CEO of PBS, also issued a statement responding to the proposal to eliminate federal funding for public media.

“Public broadcasting has earned bipartisan Congressional support over the years thanks to the value we provide to taxpayers,” Kerger said in the statement.

“PBS, our 350 member stations and our legions of local supporters will continue to remind leaders in Washington of the significant benefits the public receives in return for federal funding.”

Kerger said PBS is focused on “providing high-quality content and universal public service to the American people, which is why we enjoy strong support in every region of the country, in both rural and urban areas, and across the political spectrum.”