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We're heading into next week with threats to once again drastically cut funding to the arts and humanities in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The FY’25 House Interior Appropriations bill will be going to the House floor for consideration the week of July 22, 2024. This bill currently appropriates $203.895 million each to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). While this represents a 1.5 percent cut below current funding levels, we already know that two drastic amendments will be offered on the House floor next week by freshman Freedom Caucus member Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK). His amendments would further cut NEA and NEH by an additional $48 million each. That’s over a 23% cut that we cannot let happen!
Our arts advocacy focus now is on the U.S. House of Representatives. We anticipate the House floor vote on these amendments will happen the week of July 22nd. Please act NOW to write to your Representative urging him/her to VOTE NO on the Rep. Brecheen floor amendments to prevent further cuts to the NEA and NEH.
Please know that the Senate has not yet marked up its version of the FY’25 Interior Appropriations bill, which the arts community has requested $211 million each for the NEA and NEH. We will notify you with a timely Action Alert when this issue comes up in the Senate chamber.
Last year, Freedom Caucus then-Chairman Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) offered two House floor amendments that we successfully helped to defeat that would have zeroed-out all funding to the NEA and NEH. So this year, we’ve strategically customized the message you can send to your Member of Congress today through the Arts Action Center that will already include how your House Member voted on those drastic amendments last year. Remember: A NO vote was a vote to protect arts funding, just like it will be this year.
Help spread the word, please post any of these social media graphics on your various platforms with the following suggested caption below.
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Link to Add to Instagram & Facebook Story: www.artsactionfund.org/arts-action-center
Caption for Square Graphic Post: TAKE ACTION by going to the Arts Action Center and sending a pre-written, customizable message to your U.S. House Member by July 22nd, urging them to VOTE NO on the Brecheen FY'25 Interior Appropriations amendments. www.artsactionfund.org/arts-action-center
Thank you for standing up for the arts and humanities in America!
Nina Ozlu Tunceli
Executive Director, Arts Action Fund
Chief Counsel of Government and Public Affairs, Americans for the Arts
