[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 142 (Tuesday, October 21, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S10901]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 JANE ALEXANDER'S RESIGNATION FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS

 Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise today to commend Jane 
Alexander on her tenure as Chairperson of the National Endowment for 
the Arts. Just a few days ago, she announced her resignation from the 
NEA and her plan to return to private life. I am truly saddened that 
the NEA will lose such a strong and respected leader and that the 
Nation will lose one of its most articulate and effective champions in 
the effort to preserve the NEA.
  I am proud to be a strong supporter of the arts. It is clear that 
future generations will remember us not for our gross national product 
or our stockpile of advanced weapons, but for the content of the 
artistic and cultural expression that characterizes our civilization. 
The arts give us an opportunity to leave our mark on history.
  Jane Alexander's tenure has not been easy. Her term has spanned four 
of the most challenging years in the NEA's history, filled with annual 
fights over its survival. Each year we have seen assaults mounted on 
the arts and the NEA in particular. But the supporters of the arts in 
the Congress have met each of these challenges and emerged victorious 
thanks to the leadership of Jane Alexander.
  Perhaps as important as her leadership in these legislative battles 
has been her efforts throughout the country as an articulate voice in 
support of the arts and a Federal role in supporting the arts. She has 
visited schools and community centers as well as theaters and galleries 
across the country and has reminded Americans of the strength and 
importance of the arts.
  Beyond these efforts on the national scene, she has proved an able 
and adept manager of the NEA. She has implemented the mandated staff 
cuts at the NEA and restructured the agency without compromising its 
mission. She has compensated for fewer resources by forming 
partnerships with other agencies and encouraging all arts organizations 
to work more closely together. In addition, under her leadership, 
grant-making processes have been reorganized, accountability measures 
have been put in place, investments in arts education have increased, 
and new communication tools including a website have been developed.
  From the stage and the big screen to the halls of Congress, Jane 
Alexander has proven she is a remarkable individual, a great voice for 
the arts in America, and a true national treasure. I thank her for her 
dedication and her tireless efforts, and I wish her the best of luck in 
her future endeavors.

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