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policy and advocacy
Headlines of the Week
- President Signs Largest Increase for NEA in 30 years!
01-07-2008: On December 26, 2007, President Bush signed the FY 2008 Omnibus appropriations bill allocating $144.7 million in funding for the National Endowment for the Arts—a $20.3 million increase over last year's funding. This 16 percent increase is the single largest increase for the agency in 30 years and reflects years of advocacy to restore the NEA to the funding levels it once had in the mid-90s. Read more about this increase.
- Congress Back in Session
01-14-2008: The U.S. House of Representatives will reconvene for the Second Session of the 110th Congress on January 15, 2008. The Senate will begin legislative business on January 22. View the Congressional Schedules here.
- USDE Announces New Arts Education Grant Opportunities
01-22-2008: The U.S. Department of Education has announced a new Professional Development for Arts Educators (PDAE) grant competition. Local education agencies are eligible to apply in partnership with local nonprofits, museums, arts education associations, theaters, libraries, and community or faith-based organizations. The grants are estimated to be about $200,000 per year for up to four years. About 30 grants will be awarded and awardees will be announced in early summer. The department is also expected to announce a new Model Development and Dissemination grant competition on January 30. These grant opportunities were made possible by recent congressional approval of funding for arts education.
- President Releases FY 2009 Budget
02-04-2008: President Bush sent his FY 2009 budget request to Congress, beginning the yearly appropriations process for the nation's cultural agencies and programs, including the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, Office of Museum Services, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and the Department of Education's Arts in Education programs. On the heels of signing the largest Congressionally initiated funding increase for the arts in 28 years, President Bush has proposed a $16.3 million cut for FY 2009 for the NEA—from $144.7 million to $128.4 million. For the eighth consecutive year, the president's budget has eliminated funding for the Department of Education's Arts in Education programs. The FY 2009 budget request also calls for a rescission of $200 million in already-approved funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. On a positive note, the president requested a funding boost of over $8 million for the Office of Museum Services, bringing the amount of funding available for grants to almost $40 million. Write your Members of Congress and urge them to support increased funding for the arts. You can also read Americans for the Arts President and CEO Bob Lynch's statement on the president's proposed budget.
- Congressional Arts Caucus Circulating Dear Colleague Letters
02-25-2008: The Congressional Arts Caucus is circulating National Endowment for the Arts and Arts Education Dear Colleague letters, seeking $176 million in NEA funding and $53 million in funding for arts education programs at the U.S. Department of Education.
- House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee Announces Hearing on the Arts
03-10-2008: For the second year in a row, House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Norm Dicks (D-WA) will hold a hearing on the arts to coincide with Arts Advocacy Day (April 1). Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert Lynch is among the witnesses invited to testify.
- Arts Advocacy Day is April 1 in Washington, DC!
03-31-2008: Arts Advocacy Day is April 1, 2008! Join other arts advocates from all across the country by using our E-Advocacy Center to let your Members of Congress know why the arts are important to you and your community.
- Visa Bill Passes the House of Representatives
04-07-2008: The Arts Require Timely Service (ARTS) Bill, H.R. 1312, passed the House of Representatives. This bill would expedite the visa process for foreign guest artists to no longer than 45 days and waives the expedition fee for nonprofit performer and organizations. It is not known when the Senate will consider the bill. For more information about this legislation, please read our issue brief.
- Audio of Dan Pink Lecture Now Available!
04-21-2008: On March 31, 2008, best-selling author Daniel Pink delivered the 21st annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Art and Public Policy. An audio file of the lecture is now available online. In his presentation, Pink makes what he calls a “hard-headed case for arts education.” He shows how three forces—what he calls abundance, Asia, and automation—are making artistic, empathetic, big picture, “right-brain” abilities the most important abilities in just about every profession today. Pink is known for his recent best-selling book, A Whole New Mind, and was recognized by the Harvard Business Review for his article “The M.F.A. Is the New M.B.A.”
- New "Orphan Works" Copyright Legislation Moving in Congress
05-12-2008: New legislation concerning copyrights and artists was introduced in April in both the U.S House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate on so-called "orphan works," copyrighted works in which a copyright holder is difficult to locate or identify. The intent of the legislation is to limit liability of those seeking to use the works who pursue a good faith effort to identify and compensate the copyright holder or artist who produced the work. Americans for the Arts is tracking this legislation closely as it is considered by the House and Senate Judiciary committees.
- NEA Receives Funding Increase in House Subcommittee
06-16-2008: 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. If this funding level is maintained in the Senate and signed into law by President Bush, it would bring the agency's budget to $160 million from it's current funding level of $144.7 million.
Additionally, the National Endowment for the Humanities was also given an increase to match the NEA at $160 million.
- Arts-Related Funding Caught in Delay by Congress
06-30-2008: Last week, the full House Appropriations Committee was expected to mark up the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill which contains important funding for Arts in Education, Office Museum Services, and Public Broadcasting for FY 2009. Due to heated political debate over energy policy proposals that might be considered in the Interior appropriations bill, all funding measures have been put on hold until after the Independence Day District Work Period and potentially longer. The Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee was also expected to hold a mark-up, but it has yet to be scheduled.
- Artist Deduction Bill Ties Record Number of Cosponsors in House
07-14-2008: Rep. Don Cazayoux (D-LA) has joined on as a cosponsor to H.R. 1524, bringing the total number of cosponsors in the House to 103. This ties the record number set in 2004. This bill supports individual artists by allowing them to take a fair-market value tax deduction for tangible works they donate to nonprofit collecting and educational organizations, and it benefits the public by giving them access to more art. Send a message to your members of Congress asking them to be a co-sponsor of this important bill, H.R. 1524 (House) and S. 548 (Senate).
- Artist Deduction Bill Sets Record Number of Cosponsors in House
07-28-2008: With the addition of Rep. Zack Space (D-OH) as a cosponsor, the Artist Deduction Bill reached a new record number of cosponsors in the House—104 cosponsors plus Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), the chief sponsor, for a total of 105, breaking the record set in 2004. The Senate bill currently has 30 cosponsors. This legislation supports individual artists by allowing them to take a fair-market value tax deduction for tangible works they donate to nonprofit collecting and educational organizations. Send a message to your members of Congress asking them to be a co-sponsor of these important bills, H.R. 1524 (House) and S. 548 (Senate).
- Congress in Recess for August
08-11-2008: Congress has recessed for its summer district work period and will return on Monday, September 8, to a full slate of appropriations bills. The House and Senate still need to approve both the FY 2009 Interior bill, which funds the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Labor-Health-Education bill, which funds arts education, public broadcasting, and museum grant programs. Both bills are currently delayed by continuing debate over energy policy, so it looks unlikely that Congress will be able to complete work on these bills by the start of the new fiscal year in October. If this process is delayed further, the appropriations bills might get lumped together into one giant "omnibus" appropriations bill.
- Draft of 2008 Democratic National Convention Platform Includes Arts
08-18-2008: The Democratic National Convention Committee recently released a draft of their guiding principles for this year’s convention in Denver, August 25–28. In the “Renewing the American Community” section of the platform, legislators, party leaders, and policymakers included a specific policy section on the arts, citing the need to increase support for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, arts in education, and cultural exchange. The language in the platform is the most comprehensive language on the importance of the arts and culture this political season, thanks in large part to Americans for the Arts Action Fund’s work with committee members to include statements from its ArtsVote2008 Pro-Arts Policy Brief. Read the arts section on page 48 of the PDF draft here.
- Congress Returns for Pre-Election Session
09-08-2008: Congress returns to Washington, DC, today after a month-long August recess. With the possibility of only three weeks remaining before they are scheduled to adjourn prior to the November elections, there is little time to complete a large slate of unfinished legislation, including the FY 2009 appropriations bills which fund all federal programs, including funding bills for the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities. At this time, it appears that Congress may pass a continuing resolution—a measure to primarily keep the government running at the previous year's funding levels with a few exceptions until a new budget is passed.
- House Subcommittee Holds Hearing on the Role of Museums
09-15-2008: The House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities held a hearing on September 11, 2008 on the role of museums and libraries in strengthening communities through cultural and educational engagement. Witnesses included Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Dr. Anne-Imelda M. Radice; Deputy Secretary of Education and Commissioner of Libraries in Harrisburg, PA, Ms. Mary Clare Zales; Executive Director of the Arizona Health Science Library at University of Arizona in Tucson Ms. Annabelle Núñez; President of the Science Museum of Minnesota in St. Paul, MN, Dr. Eric Jolly; and Executive Director of the Long Island Education and Commissioner for Libraries in Harrisburg, PA, Ms. Suzanne LeBlanc. The testimony provided an array of perspectives on the impact that museums and libraries have in developing cultural awareness and highlighted the breadth of services that aid educational instruction inside and outside the classroom. Several prominent members of the committee were present, including Chairwoman Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) and Ranking Member Todd Platts (R-PA). Witness' testimony is available on the committee's website.
- New Congressional Arts Report Card - Find Out How Your Leaders Stack Up
09-22-2008: The Americans for the Arts Action Fund PAC has issued its Congressional Arts Report Card, covering the 110th Congress (2007–2009). The entire Report Card containing letter grades and numerical scores of every member of Congress based on his or her voting record on arts issues can be found online at www.artsactionfund.org/stay_informed/special_reports.
- Continuing Resolution Funds NEA and Cultural Programs at Current Level Until March 2009
09-29-2008: On September 27, the Senate passed a continuing resolution which will fund the National Endowment for the Arts and other cultural programs at their current FY 2008 level until March 2009 when a new Congress and a new administration will again undertake the budget process.
- IRA Charitable Rollover Provision Extended Through 2009
10-06-2008: Included as part of the financial bailout package, Congress approved a two-year extension of the IRA Charitable Rollover Provision on October 3, which will increase donations to the nation's nonprofit community. Originally enacted as a part of the Pension Reform Act of 2006, the IRA Rollover permits donors age 70 1/2 and older to make tax-free charitable contributions directly from their IRAs, up to $100,000 annually. The IRA Rollover provision expired in December 2007, but has now been extended through December 2009. Read more about charitable giving for arts and culture here.
- National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Dana Gioia Leaving in January 2009
10-13-2008: National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Dana Gioia announced that he will leave his position as the head of the Arts Endowment in January 2009. After his departure from the NEA, Gioia will return to his writing career, his primary occupation prior to leading the Endowment. In January, he will join the Aspen Institute on a half-time basis as the first Director of the Harman/Eisner (H/E) Program in the Arts. For more information, read the official press release here.
- Vote smART on November 4!
10-27-2008: Americans for the Arts wants to remind you that this year’s election is important because every seat in the U.S. House of Representatives is up for election, as well as 1/3 of the Senate seats. Visit our E-Advocacy Election Center to locate your polling site, find information about candidates running in every federal and state race, and much more!
- 2008 Election Brings New Leadership for the Arts in America
11-10-2008: Americans for the Arts Action Fund President and CEO Robert L. Lynch gave the following statement on the results of Election Day:
“The historic election of Sen. Barack Obama to be the 44th president of the United States will have tremendous impact on the nation’s arts community, public schools, and creative workforce. His commitment to arts and arts education on the campaign trail is just a preview of what his administration can accomplish. President-Elect Obama demonstrates the leadership and vision to advance the arts in America through investing in more arts education in public schools, increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, promoting cultural diplomacy, and supporting artists rights." Read the full press release here.
- Former NEA Chair Bill Ivey Named to Obama Transition Team for the Arts
11-17-2008: Bill Ivey, former Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, has been named to the Obama-Biden Transition Agency Review Team for Science, Tech, Space, and Arts. Ivey will serve on the NEA/NEH Agency Review Team tasked with completing a thorough review of the agencies to provide the president-elect and advisors with information needed to make strategic policy, budgetary, and personnel decisions prior to the inauguration.
- Congress Recesses over Thanksgiving Holiday
11-24-2008: Congress is currently in recess for the Thanksgiving holiday, but could potentially return the week of December 8 for a continuation of last week’s lame-duck session to work on possible economic recovery legislation. No other legislative business is scheduled to be considered at this time. Please visit the House and Senate floor schedules for the latest information and activities.
- Americans for the Arts Submits Policy Brief to Obama Transition Team
12-01-2008: Americans for the Arts joined other national arts advocacy organizations in submitting this policy brief to the Obama Transition Office, and to former NEA chairman Bill Ivey, who heads the arts and cultural review team for the Transition. The brief outlines six topics and provides policy recommendations in each of them for the incoming administration.
- Rep. Todd Platts Named Congressional Arts Caucus Co-Chair
12-08-2008: Representative Todd Platts (R-PA) was extended and has accepted the position of Co-Chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus (CAC), joining current Co-Chair Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) for the 111th Congress. With the narrow election defeat of former CAC Co-Chair and steadfast arts supporter Rep. Chris Shays (R-CT), Rep. Platts’ acceptance ensures that the CAC will continue to have strong presence for the arts on the Republican side of the aisle. Rep. Platts received an “A” grade in the Arts Action Fund Congressional Arts Report Card, and currently serves as the Ranking Member of the House subcommittee which oversees the authorization of the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
- President-Elect Obama Speaks in Favor of the Arts
12-15-2008: In his first Sunday morning television interview since winning the election, President-Elect Obama joined Tom Brokaw on Meet the Press on December 7. Obama discussed his plans to make an impact through arts and culture at the White House, saying that he is “thinking about the diversity of our culture and inviting jazz musicians and classical musicians and poetry readings in the White House so that, once again, we appreciate this incredible tapestry that's America.” You can watch the video of the full statement here.
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