Take Action: House Panel to Vote on Arts Ed Elimination

May 23, 2011
From: Thomas L. Birch, Legislative Counsel
Vol. 15:11

On Wednesday, May 25, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, with authorizing jurisdiction over the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), is expected to vote on legislation that would eliminate the U.S. Department of Education’s Arts in Education program, which provides support for competitive grants to promote innovations in arts education. State arts agencies have been successful applicants for the program’s support.

The Setting New Priorities in Education Spending Act (H.R. 1891), introduced by Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, would, according to the committee’s website, “begin the process of weeding out inefficient and unnecessary K-12 education programs.” The Hunter bill would eliminate 43 programs, some of which—including the Arts in Education program—have been proposed by the Obama administration to be folded into a single program of grant support for program innovations in education. Arts education advocates have opposed the Obama proposal; Hunter’s bill would do worse by repealing the funding authority altogether.

The House Committee on Education and the Workforce is scheduled to vote on this legislation on Wednesday morning. Please contact your representatives on the committee, listed hereand below, and:

• urge their vote against H.R. 1891;
• impress upon them the value of federal leadership in developing innovative approaches in arts education;
• remind them that the unintended consequences of the No Child Left Behind Act have diminished the presence of arts education in the classroom.

You may contact your representatives by e-mail at http://www3.capwiz.com/mygov/dbq/officials/ or by phone through the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.

House Committee on Education and the Workforce

Republicans
John Kline, Minnesota (Chairman)
Martha Roby, Alabama
Duncan D. Hunter, California
Howard P. “Buck” McKeon, California
Dennis Ross, Florida
Judy Biggert, Illinois
Larry Bucshon, Indiana
Todd Rokita, Indiana
Tim Walberg, Michigan
Joe Heck, Nevada
Richard Hanna, New York
Virginia Foxx, North Carolina
Lou Barletta, Pennsylvania
Mike Kelly, Pennsylvania
Todd Russell Platts, Pennsylvania
Glenn Thompson, Pennsylvania
Trey Gowdy, South Carolina
Joe Wilson, South Carolina
Kristi Noem, South Dakota
Scott DesJarlais, Tennessee
David P. Roe, Tennessee
Thomas E. Petri, Wisconsin

Democrats
George Miller, California (Ranking Member)
Raúl M. Grijalva, Arizona
Susan A. Davis, California
Lynn C. Woolsey, California
Mazie Hirono, Hawaii
Dave Loebsack, Iowa
John F. Tierney, Massachusetts
Dale E. Kildee, Michigan
Robert E. Andrews, New Jersey
Rush D. Holt, New Jersey
Donald M. Payne, New Jersey
Timothy H. Bishop, New York
Carolyn McCarthy, New York
Dennis J. Kucinich, Ohio
David Wu, Oregon
Rubén Hinojosa, Texas
Robert C. Scott, Virginia