Congress Averts Government Shutdown, but Work Remains

Once again, Congress was able to avert a partial government shutdown last week when members of the House and Senate were able to agree on a short-term continuing resolution that extends current funding levels for all federal agencies for several weeks. While far from ideal, the hope is that this most recent short-term extension will give members of Congress time to finally agree on a long-term funding bill for the remainder of fiscal year 2024.

The House Appropriations Committee proposal to fund some federal agencies until the end of the fiscal year maintains level funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) at $207 million. While this figure is not the increase proposed by the Biden administration, it is nonetheless a significant victory for arts advocates, as you may recall that the House originally proposed funding the agency with a 10% cut.

With funding for the NEA now settled for the remainder of the fiscal year, work begins on the next appropriations cycle. Earlier this week, President Biden released his budget proposal for FY2025, which included an increase in funding for the NEA to $210 million. We at NASAA are appreciative of the administration’s continued support for the arts and we are already meeting with key offices in Congress. As the process unfolds, we will keep you updated and share the best timing for you to contact your member of Congress in support of this suggested increase.