[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 99 (Wednesday, July 22, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1388]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  1999

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. NANCY PELOSI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 21, 1998

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4193) making 
     appropriations for the Department of the Interior and related 
     agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1999, and 
     for other purposes:

  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of full funding for the 
National Endowment for the Arts. Federal support is necessary to ensure 
that broad access to the arts is possible for citizens of all economic 
backgrounds and all regions of the country. Today, arts agencies in all 
50 states and 6 territories receive federal funding through the NEA to 
support the arts. Prior to the creation of the NEA, few state arts 
councils awarded grants.
  Arts funding in this country rests on the combined support of 
federal, state, and local public dollars, as well as private donations. 
Federal dollars are essential in leveraging other support. For example, 
in FY 1997, $99.5 million in federal dollars was matched with $280 
million in state support and $675 million in local funding.
  Last week, the House Committee on Appropriations voted 31-27 to 
provide funding for the NEA. Now, the Republican majority is seeking to 
undermine the work of the Committee, and set back arts in this country 
by passing a rule that will allow NEA funding to be zeroed out.
  Opponents of the NEA suggest there is little accountability at the 
agency. However, over the last several years, the NEA has made 
substantial changes to address Congressional concerns and also make it 
more responsive to the public.
  Recently, six Members of Congress were added to the NEA advisory 
body, a new NEA Chairman was unanimously approved by the Senate, and a 
new grant award program was established to provide for a more equal 
distribution of arts funds to underserved states. In addition, the NEA 
also implemented changes in its grant award program to improve 
accountability by prohibiting the shifting of funds from one project to 
another.
  The NEA has been responsive to concerns raised by Congress and the 
public. New attempts to cut funding to this agency are without merit. 
Given that last month the Supreme Court upheld the use by the NEA of 
``general standards of decency'' in awarding grants, the current 
attacks on the NEA for funding controversial projects are unwarranted.
  Over the last three decades, the NEA has substantially increased arts 
activity in every state in this country. Federal support is needed to 
ensure that all Americans have an opportunity to discover and enrich 
their lives by experiencing the arts. I urge my colleagues to support 
full funding for the NEA.

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