The last week of August is usually a calm one in Washington, D.C., with members of Congress spread out across the country enjoying time off and spending time with their constituents. This year, however, has turned out to be one of the busiest in recent memory, and the level of activity forced staff and many…
As of the time I am writing this column, members of the U.S. Senate are working furiously to complete work on a significant infrastructure bill that provides more than $500 billion in new federal spending intended to modernize the nation’s transportation and energy sectors. While the arts are not specifically addressed in this legislation, completion…
The U.S. House Committee on Appropriations approved a $33.5 million increase to the fiscal year 2022 appropriation for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). This matches the amount proposed by the White House to bring the agency’s funding level up to $201 million. The bill will next move to the House floor for its…
Late on May 28, the Biden administration released its first budget request to Congress regarding funding levels and priorities for fiscal year 2022. While not binding, the President’s budget request (particularly any administration’s first) is a critical document, as it articulates the newly inaugurated President’s goals and objectives. For example, the Trump administration’s decision to…
Last week, on the eve of his 100th day in office, President Biden spoke to a joint session of Congress for the first time. In his remarks, the President laid out an ambitious agenda that includes robust investment in an infrastructure package he hopes to pass by the end of the fiscal year. That legislation,…
This week marks an important event in our advocacy calendar, as supporters from around the country meet, this year virtually, for the National Arts Action Summit. In a normal year, this event marks the kickoff of the annual appropriations season, where NASAA and other arts organizations work together to advance policies that support the arts.…
At the time of writing this column, Congress and the Biden administration are in the midst of negotiating a $1.9 trillion emergency relief package that they hope to pass no later than the middle of March, when many of the emergency programs extended in the December relief bill are set to expire. While the plan…
On January 20, President Joe Biden was sworn into office. Greeting the President is an unprecedented number of challenges for a new administration, including managing the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic crisis while also setting a new agenda. While the latter is still being established, the Biden administration has made clear that addressing the…
As is often the case, the close of 2020, and of the 116th Congress, was a busy one, as members of Congress and the Trump administration were negotiating and voting on legislation until January 2, the very last day of the legislative term. Fortunately, as you are no doubt aware, after considerable challenges, Congress was…
This week, members of the House and Senate are expected to return to Washington after a brief recess last week for the Thanksgiving holiday. Awaiting their return are critical and sensitive negotiations surrounding funding for federal agencies and whether to enact further relief for communities impacted by COVID-19 as cases of the virus grow throughout…
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