Save Arts Transportation Funds: Contact Your Representatives

January 31, 2012
From: Thomas L. Birch, Legislative Counsel
Vol. 05:12

On Thursday, February 2, the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will consider new legislation—the American Energy & Infrastructure Jobs Act—to reauthorize the federal transportation programs. Among the areas this bill will cover is the Transportation Enhancement program, which since 1992 has provided funding to states that support public art projects, transportation museums, landscaping and beautification, among other transportation-related activities.

In the past, state arts agencies often have worked as partners with state transportation agencies to apply for Transportation Enhancement funds and manage projects for public art, landscaping and structural design associated with surface transportation. The program has proved to be a significant source of support for public art in particular, as well as for design and historic preservation. Those funds are threatened with elimination in the committee’s drafting of the new transportation reauthorization bill.

If your state’s representative is a member of the House Transportation Committee, listed here, please take a moment before Thursday morning to contact your legislator’s office to reject any proposals in the transportation reauthorization legislation that would weaken or eliminate the dedicated funding that has been in place since 1992 for the Transportation Enhancement program, which has served your state.

Urge support for the continued eligibility of public art programs supported by the Transportation Enhancement provisions.

You may reach your state’s 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 Transportation and Infrastructure

Republicans
John L. Mica (FL), Chair
Don Young (AK)
Rick Crawford (AR)
Jeff Denham (CA)
Duncan Hunter (CA)
Gary Miller (CA)
Steve Southerland (FL)
Randy Hultgren (IL)
Timothy V. Johnson (IL)
Larry Bucshon (IN)
Jeff Landry (LA)
Andy Harris (MD)
Candice Miller (MI)
Chip Cravaack (MN)
Sam Graves (MO)
Billy Long (MO)
Frank Guinta (NH)
Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ)
Richard Hanna (NY)
Howard Coble (NC)
Bob Gibbs (OH)
Jean Schmidt (OH)
James Lankford (OK)
Lou Barletta (PA)
Patrick Meehan (PA)
Bill Shuster (PA)
John J. Duncan, Jr. (TN)
Chuck Fleischmann (TN)
Blake Farenthold (TX)
Shelley Moore Capito (WV)
Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA)
Thomas E. Petri (WI)
Reid Ribble (WI)

Democrats
Nick J. Rahall, II (WV), Ranking Member
Bob Filner (CA)
Grace Napolitano (CA)
Laura A. Richardson (CA)
Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC)
Corrine Brown (FL)
Mazie Hirono (HI)
Jerry F. Costello (IL)
Daniel Lipinski (IL)
Leonard Boswell (IA)
Michael H. Michaud (ME)
Elijah E. Cummings (MD)
Donna F. Edwards (MD)
Michael E. Capuano (MA)
Timothy J. Walz (MN)
Russ Carnahan (MO)
Albio Sires (NJ)
Timothy H. Bishop (NY)
Jerrold Nadler (NY)
Heath Shuler (NC)
Peter A. DeFazio (OR)
Jason Altmire (PA)
Tim Holden (PA)
Steve Cohen (TN)
Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX)
Rick Larsen (WA)