Mr. Rogers to the rescue... to the tune of $20 million!

Did you know that on May 1, 1969 Fred Rogers testified to the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Communications in an effort to pursuade Congress not to cut proposed funding for PBS and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting? A grant proposed by former President Lyndon Johnson was in jeopardy of being slashed in half by President Nixon.

The gruff and abrasive chair of the subcommittee, Senator John Pastore, was so moved by Mr. Rogers' convincing and impassioned words that he claims to have gotten goosebumps and simply states, "I think it's wonderful... I think it's wonderful. Looks like you've just earned the $20 million."

Watch the video footage.

To read the full text of the hearing and the transcript of Mr. Rogers' testimony, visit the Government Publications Library. The published hearing is entitled Extension of Authorizations Under the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967.