Washington ( CNN ) -- The House of Representatives passed legislation Thursday that would bar federal funding for National Public Radio -- a longtime target of conservatives irritated by what they consider the outlet 's liberal bias . The bill passed 228-192 in a sharply partisan vote . Most Republicans backed the measure while every Democrat opposed it . While the measure was expected to pass the GOP-controlled House , it is believed to have little chance of clearing the Democratic-controlled Senate . The move to strip funding comes after a conservative activist secretly taped a NPR fundraising executive criticizing Tea Party supporters and saying public radio would be better off without federal money . On Tuesday , the House voted to cut $ 50 million from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting , which helps support NPR . That measure was part of a larger bill to keep the government running for the next three weeks . The House moved last month to eliminate all federal funding for the CPB as part of its bill to fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year . That bill , however , failed to pass the Senate . Among other things , the measure which passed the House Thursday would bar any of NPR 's affiliate radio stations across the country from using any federal funds to purchase programming from NPR . Forty percent of NPR 's funding comes from member station fees , according to the outlet . Roughly 2 % comes from federal grants . `` We have to deal with the fiscal reality of this country , '' said Rep. Jason Chaffetz , R-Utah . America has to figure out `` how to do more with less . ... We ca n't afford to be all things to all people . '' Public radio `` has been wildly successful , '' Chaffetz argued . The outlet 's total number of listeners is rising , so `` it should be moving toward a model where ( it ) can sustain '' itself rather than relying on taxpayers . NPR 's listeners are largely `` wealthy '' and `` well educated , '' claimed Rep. Marsha Blackburn , R-Tennessee . `` It is time for us to remove the federal support system ... and see what NPR can do on ( its ) own . '' `` With the national debt over $ 13 trillion , the government simply ca n't afford to fund non-essential services , '' said Rep. Doug Lamborn , R-Colorado . `` NPR can survive on its own . '' We need to `` remove the taxpayer from the equation . '' According to NPR 's website , the outlet currently provides content to 900 independent stations , reaching 27.2 million listeners every week . Democrats argued that NPR serves a vital public function . Stripping it of public funds will do little to reduce the federal deficit while cutting popular programming in small towns and rural areas across the country , they claimed . `` This bill would wipe ( programs like ) 'Car Talk ' off the road . It would wipe 'Lake Wobegon ' right off the map , '' said Rep. Ed Markey , D-Massachusetts . `` GOP used to stand for Grand Old Party . Now it stands for Gut Our Programs . '' Markey argued that many local public stations would not be able to attract a sufficient audience and fundraising base to survive keep without easy access to NPR 's signature programs , such as `` All Things Considered . '' This bill `` will snuff out stations from coast to coast , '' he predicted . `` This makes no sense . '' The GOP has launched an `` ideological crusade against balanced news , '' claimed Rep. Lloyd Doggett , D-Texas . Rep. Earl Blumenauer , D-Oregon , circulated a letter to House members earlier in the week citing press reports that he said demonstrated that James O'Keefe -- the conservative activist who set up the taping -- `` deceptively edited '' the video to target NPR . `` Biased ? No . Unbiased , '' said Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee , D-Texas . `` NPR speaks the truth . ... It provides a fair and balanced presentation . '' CNN 's Alan Silverleib and Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report .
NEW : The House votes to cut federal funding for National Public Radio . NPR 's website says the network provides content to 900 independent stations . The House voted earlier to cut $ 50 million from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting , which supports NPR . Past efforts to merge the CPB and NPR have failed .