On November 2, the U.S. House of Representatives voted against amendments to eliminate funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) during consideration of the FY24 Interior appropriations bill.
Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry (R-PA-10) sponsored two floor amendments: Amendment #60 to eliminate all funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) was defeated by a vote of 292-129 and Amendment #61 to eliminate all funding to the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) was defeated by a vote of 292 to 132. A full 100% of Democrats voted against both amendments and were joined by a strong 39% of Republicans to make it a BIPARTISAN declaration that Congress supports the arts and culture.
Thank you to the many theatres that have been weighing in with Congress over the past several weeks and months in support of NEA funding. Your advocacy, in partnership with action across the entire arts sector, is essential in reminding Congress how important federal support for the arts is in every single Congressional district, whether through direct grants to theatres, partnerships with state arts agencies, or federal research and programmatic initiatives.
What happens now? The House passed an Interior budget with significant spending cuts, including a $20.7 million reduction in NEA funding to total $186.3 million for FY24. The Senate has indicated it will support level funding for the NEA at $207 million, but the full chamber still needs to vote on its own Interior appropriations bill. Ultimately the two chambers will need to reach a compromise in a dedicated Interior bill or an omnibus that will combine several outstanding bills together. Even though this House vote is over, follow up is so important! See how your member of Congress voted, then take a moment to thank your Representative for voting No to the harmful Perry amendment. If your member voted Yes to eliminate the agency’s funding, this is when you need to tell the story of what the arts are doing right at home in your district, the work your theatre is doing in partnership with its community, and how federal support uniquely combines with charitable giving and earned revenue to support the artists and art-making in your community. Each arts-specific vote that Congress takes is critical and provides an opportunity to educate elected officials about the intricate funding landscape that supports our sector. Thank you!
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