May 1, 2017
From: Isaac Brown, Legislative Counsel
Vol. 17:04

After Friday’s short-term extension to allow for further negotiations, congressional leaders announced that they have reached an agreement on a spending package to fund the federal government through the end of September (the remainder of fiscal year 2017). This agreement would avert a government shutdown later this week.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017, funds the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) at $149.8 million, an increase over the agency’s current funding level of $148 million. The spending directives accompanying the bill affirm the federal-state partnership allocating 40% of the NEA’s grant funding to state and regional arts agencies. The legislation commends the NEA for its work with active-duty military populations and supports the expansion of its healing arts program to additional clinical care sites. As in the past, Congress urges state arts agencies to explore art therapy programs that support service members and their families.

The House and Senate are expected to vote on the legislation this week, before the current continuing resolution expires.

When work concludes on the funding bill for FY2017, Congress is expected to begin working on an aggressive schedule on appropriations legislation for FY2018. NASAA will keep you apprised of that work and of opportunities to urge support for the arts endowment.