Good news!  Today, the U.S. House Appropriations Committee approved funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) at $155 million for FY 2019, a $2 million increase. This proposed funding affirmed the House subcommittee’s action in May and meets the ask of advocates from Arts Advocacy Day in March!

Additionally, during the committee’s consideration, Chairman Ken Calvert (R-CA) recommended adding new report language for the NEA and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to encourage expanded grant-making activities to honor the leadership and arts advocacy of the late-Rep. Louise M. Slaughter. Rep.

The late-Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, before her address to the 2015 Arts Advocacy Day crowd, surrounded by Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), former NEH Chairman Bro Adams, and former NEA Chairman Jane Chu (standing).

Slaughter passed away unexpectedly on March 16, 2018, days after the 31^st annual Arts Advocacy Day. She was the founder and co-Chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus for over 20 years.
 
In April, Americans for the Arts and arts advocates from across the country explored possibilities for undertaking expanded work to honor Rep. Slaughter’s legacy in the arts and the humanities. Read more about those activities here.

Today, the incoming Congressional Arts Caucus co-Chair Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) thanked Chairman Calvert for including this new report language to the bill, which stated, “The Committee acknowledges and appreciates decades of arts and humanities advocacy by the late Rep. Louise M. Slaughter.  In her memory, the Committee encourages NEA and NEH to expand grant-making activities in a manner that honors her advocacy, especially in rural and under-served areas, so more Americans are able to benefit from the economic, social, and educational impacts of the arts and humanities.”
 
The bipartisan effort of the House Appropriations Committee to honor Rep. Slaughter recommends a focus especially in rural and under-served areas, so “more Americans are able to benefit from the economic, social, and educational impacts of the arts and humanities.”
 

Congressional Arts Caucus co-Chair Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) thanked Chairman Calvert for including this new report language to honor Rep. Louise Slaughter.

As admirers of Rep. Slaughter know, she often shared the latest data and research about what access to the arts meant—in economic impact, school success and achievement, healing from trauma and wounds of war, and in life.
 
Americans for the Arts thanks Chairman Calvert, Ranking Member Betty McCollum (D-MN), and Rep. Pingree for their leadership and work to recognize Rep. Slaughter and support of the agencies to do more. Americans for the Arts looks forward to working with their Senate counterparts to expand this work with additional funding.
 
Today’s action completes the U.S. House committee consideration and advances the House proposal to a possible floor action in the coming months. Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate is gearing up their work with expected committee consideration as soon as next week!

Contacting your U.S. Senators now is a very key point in this process for FY 2019 funding! Ask your U.S. Senators to match the House support of a minimum of $155 million for the NEA in FY 2019. Take 2 minutes now to contact your U.S. Senators by using our easy, customizable form. Click here.