AHA: Support Amendment to Restore NEH funding
There is still time to take a few minutes and write or call your Representative.
The U.S. House of Representatives is tentatively scheduled to consider the FY2007 Interior Appropriations bill between Friday, May 19 and Tuesday, May 23. Recently, the Interior Appropriations Committee supported the President's request and recommended funding for the NEH at $142 million. Despite the appearance of level funding, this actually is a proposed cut of $1.3 million to the agency's core programs of research, education, preservation & access, public programs, and challenge grants.
We expect that when the bill comes to the House floor, an amendment will be introduced by the leadership of the Congressional Humanities Caucus [Rep. Jim Leach (IA-2) and Rep. David Price (NC-4)] and the Congressional Arts Caucus [Rep. Louise Slaughter (NY-28) and Rep. Christopher Shays (CT-4)] to increase funding for the NEH and the NEA by $10 million to $15 million, evenly divided between the two endowments. This would mean an increase for the NEH of $5 million to $7.5 million that would help rebuild program lines suffering from budget rescissions and inflation.
We strongly encourage you to send a message to your member of Congress via email or fax, urging them to vote in favor of this amendment.
Beginning text and talking points are provided for you to amplify at
Many thanks for your help in this important effort to increase funding for the humanities!