Proposed Increase in Funding for the Arts

In my email box....Art nEWS : Please show your support of this increase request!



June 11, 2008
Dear Jean,
This afternoon in Congress, the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which sets the initial funding level for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), approved a $15.3 million increase for the NEA in its FY 2009 spending bill. Chairman Norm Dicks (D-WA) has once again proposed an increase in funding for arts and culture in the face of a dramatic cut proposed by the president's recent budget. Please click here to send a message to your Members of Congress telling them to support this important funding increase!

Currently funded at $144.7 million, this increase would bring the agency's budget to $160 million. President Bush requested a cut to $128 million for the NEA for FY09 from the current $144.7 million level. On Arts Advocacy Day, Americans for the Arts presented a panel of witnesses before Chairman Dicks' Appropriations Subcommittee calling for a significant increase in funding for the NEA. Witnesses included actor/director Robert Redford, musician John Legend, and actor Kerry Washington. Video of the hearing and further details including the witnesses' testimony are available online here.

Thanks to all of the grassroots advocates for your letters and calls to Congress and for attending Arts Advocacy Day. We're seeing the results! Next Steps:The FY 2009 Interior Appropriations bill will next go to full committee and then to the House floor for final consideration where your help may be needed to defend against floor amendments attempting to cut this increase. We must now put pressure on the Senate to match this funding level. Please take two minutes to visit the Americans for the Arts E-Advocacy Center to send a letter to your Members of Congress letting them know that the arts are important to you!

Americans for the Arts or its Arts Action Fund
1000 Vermont Avenue NW6th FloorWashington DC . 20005 T 202.371.2830 F 202.371.0424
One East 53rd Street . 2nd Floor New York NY . 10022 T 212.223.2787 F 212.980.4857
info@artsusa.orghttp://www.americansforthearts.org/http://www.artsactionfund.org/

Arts Funding News in my "e" mailbox

June 19, 2007
Dear Jean,
This morning, the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which sets the initial funding level for the NEA, approved a $9 million increase for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in its FY 2008 spending bill. Other than a $10 million increase in the first year of the Bush Administration, this is the largest increase the Senate subcommittee has provided in the last twelve years. However, the Senate figure doesn't come close to the substantial increase of $35 million provided by the House Appropriations Committee a few weeks ago. The agency, currently funded at $124.4 million has only seen increases of about 3% for the last several years.

We want to extend a special thanks to all of Americans for the Arts grassroots activists for your letters and calls to Congress. It’s working and you are helping to support the arts in South Carolina!

Next Steps:
In the Senate, the FY 2008 Interior Appropriations bill will be considered by the full Appropriations committee on Thursday and then the full Senate, probably after the July 4th recess. As the bills move closer to consideration by the full House and Senate, we are actively monitoring each of them for any attempt to weaken the funding for the NEA and National Endowment for the Humanities.

After the bills are passed in each body the Appropriations Chairmen will convene a conference committee to negotiate the differences in funding. In order to support the higher House funding level, we must continue to put pressure on the Senate to accept a substantial increase, and request the House members to stand strong. Please take two minutes to visit Americans for the Arts E-Advocacy Center to send letters to your Members of Congress. We have provided relevant talking points which can help hone your message to your Senators and Representative.

Americans for the Arts
1000 Vermont Avenue NW6th Floor
Washington DC . 20005 T 202.371.2830 F 202.371.0424
One East 53rd Street . 2nd Floor New York NY . 10022 T 212.223.2787 F 212.980.4857
info@artsusa.orghttp://www.americansforthearts.org/http://www.artsactionfund.org/

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Great news!

Americans for the Arts

As member of the Americans for the Arts Action Fund; I receive lots of news about what is going on with the arts. In my mailbox was a story that The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is proposing the largest financial increase ever. It goes before President Bush soon. Typically the NEA has been getting about 3% increases annually.

I thought perhaps some of my readers may be interested in delving deeper into the arts and like to read these stories for themselves. Just click on this link to go there and learn more about the group and about the latest news.
http://www.americansforthearts.org/americansforthearts_news.asp#item16

yours; Jeanee
www.jeanbourque.com