UPDATE: Amendment defeated by the House. Funding protected.
SC Congressmen in FAVOR of cut to NEA: Rice, Sanford, Norman, Wilson.
SC Congressman AGAINST cut to NEA: Gowdy, Clyburn
*Jeff Duncan: “Not Voting”
Last night, the House Rules Committee considered amendments to the full House Appropriations bill which currently includes a $2 million increase for the NEA and NEH, putting those agencies at $155 million for next fiscal year (Oct 2018 – Sept 2019).
However, Rep. Grothman (WI) proposed one amendment that cuts the NEA and NEH budgets by 15%, or $23 million. This amendment is expected to be taken up by the full House this week (July 17-20) or next week (July 23-27).
From the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies:
“While there is no reason to think that the strong bipartisan support the NEA has achieved in Congress is waning, this is nonetheless a significant development that NASAA and other arts organizations are taking seriously. We strongly urge you to contact your representative to urge that they oppose Grothman amendment #169 and approve $155 million for the NEA and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Please use the following points:
- The NEA funding bill approved unanimously by the Appropriations Committee would allow the agency to continue to support the arts across the country and build upon its innovative partnership with the Department of Defense to provide therapy to wounded veterans.
- Forty percent of all grant funding given to the NEA is distributed to state arts agencies. This allocation encourages local decision making, leverages additional state investment and ensures that federal funds reach every congressional district in the country.
- Highlight an exciting new program or event being supported by your state arts agency, and point out how funding from the NEA, through either the federal-state partnership or a direct grant, supported that initiative.”