[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 86 (Wednesday, June 12, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H6268]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS--MESSAGE FROM THE 
                     PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Taylor of North Carolina) laid before 
the House the following message from the President of the United 
States; which was read and, together with the accompanying papers, 
without objection, referred to the Committee on Economic and 
Educational Opportunities:

To the Congress of the United States:
  It is my pleasure to transmit herewith the Annual Report of the 
National Endowment for the Arts for the fiscal year 1995.
  On September 29, 1995, at the close of the fiscal year, the Arts 
Endowment celebrated its 30th anniversary. A young man or woman born at 
the same time as this Federal agency's establishment has enjoyed access 
to the arts and culture unparalleled in the history of the country. The 
National Endowment for the Arts has helped bring tens of thousands of 
artists into schools, teaching tens of millions of students about the 
power of the creative imagination. This small Federal agency has helped 
launch a national cultural network that has grown in size and quality 
these past 30 years.
  This Annual Report is another chapter in a great success story. In 
these pages, you will find projects that bring the arts to people in 
every State and in thousands of communities from Putney, Vermont, to 
Mammoth Lakes, California. The difference art makes in our lives is 
profound; we see more clearly, listen more intently, and respond to our 
fellow man with deeper understanding and empathy.
  In these challenging times, when some question the value of public 
support for the arts, we should reflect upon our obligation to the 
common good. The arts are not a luxury, but a vital part of our 
national character and our individual human spirit. The poet Langston 
Hughes said, ``Bring me all of your dreams, you dreamers. Bring all of 
your heart melodies . . .'' For 30 years, the Arts Endowment has helped 
keep those dreams alive for our artists and our audiences. May it long 
continue to do so.
                                                  William J. Clinton.  
  The White House, June 12, 1996.

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