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October 30, 2009
Dear Arts
Advocate,
Yesterday, Congress
passed a $12.5 million funding increase as part of the FY 2010 Interior
Appropriations bill for both the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). President
Obama is scheduled to sign this bill into law by October 31, which
concludes National Arts and Humanities Month.
The nation's two federal grantmaking cultural agencies will now each have
budgets of $167.5 million, their highest funding levels in 16 years.
As so many state and local governments have had to cut arts budgets
across the country, this well-timed federal appropriations increase for
the arts is a welcome infusion of funds.
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Enacted FY09
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FY10 Final Interior
Appropriations Bill
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FY09 vs. FY10 Difference
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NEA
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$155
million
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$167.5
million
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$12.5
million increase
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NEH
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$155
million
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$167.5
million
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$12.5
million increase
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The FY 2010 Interior Appropriations bill
(H.R. 2996) was passed in the House by a vote of 247-178 and in
the Senate by a vote of 72-28. Please play your part
and send a quick e-mail to your members of Congress at the Americans for
the Arts E-Advocacy Center
and let them know how much the arts will benefit from this funding
increase.
What's Next:
While the NEA and NEH's budgets have now been finalized, many other
federal programs such as the Institute
of Museum and
Library Services and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting are still
operating under a continuing resolution until December 18, 2009. We
will keep you posted on these legislative updates in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, please save the dates of April 12-13, 2010 for National
Arts Advocacy Day in Washington,
DC. With the
incredible advocacy success
that we had this year that included $50 million in the federal economic
stimulus bill for arts jobs and now the $12.5 million increase in NEA and
NEH budgets, we need to keep building on this positive momentum. Come
join us.
Help us also
continue this important work by becoming an official member of the Arts
Action Fund. If you are not already an
official member, you can join the Arts Action Fund today -- it's free and simple.
Click
to remove your name from receiving e-mails regarding arts advocacy
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