May 15, 2018
From: Isaac Brown, Legislative Counsel
Vol. 18:04

Last night, the House Appropriations Committee released its draft funding bill for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for fiscal year 2019, proposing funding for the agency at $155 million. In doing so, the committee is supporting a $2 million increase for the NEA over its current level.

NASAA and other arts organizations had asked the committee to fund the agency at that amount this year, and we are grateful for the strong, bipartisan support that Congress continues to show for the Arts Endowment.

While no further changes are expected, the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee is scheduled to convene this evening at 5:30 to consider the bill. Therefore, if you are represented by a member of the committee (listed below), please consider contacting their office to:

• urge the member to support the NEA at the proposed funding level of $155 million for FY2019;
• use the opportunity to highlight new developments at your state arts agency, and to reiterate the benefit of the federal-state partnership that directs 40% of the NEA’s grant funding to state and regional arts organizations.

As always, NASAA will keep you updated as events unfold.

House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee

Republicans
Ken Calvert, California, Chairman
Michael K. Simpson, Idaho
Tom Cole, Oklahoma
David P. Joyce, Ohio
Chris Stewart, Utah
Mark E. Amodei, Nevada
Evan H. Jenkins, West Virginia

Democrats
Betty McCollum, Minnesota, Ranking Member
Chellie Pingree, Maine
Derek Kilmer, Washington
Marcy Kaptur, Ohio