[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 106 (Thursday, June 28, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1435-E1436]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
                        APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 26, 2007

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2643) making 
     appropriations for the Department of the Interior, 
     environment, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 2008, and for other purposes:

  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Madam Chairman, I rise in strong opposition 
to the Lamborn Amendment, which would cut all funding in the underlying 
bill for the National Endowment for the Arts.
  The NEA has been shortchanged for far too long, and it's time to 
ensure that it has the resources necessary to carry out its mission of 
supporting excellence in the arts, bringing the arts to all Americans, 
and providing leadership in arts education.
  Since 1996, Congress has forced the NEA to meet the ever growing 
demands of our communities on a shoestring budget. Despite gross 
underfunding, the NEA has continued to promote arts and culture across 
the country.

[[Page E1436]]

  With the able leadership of my good friends Rep. Slaughter and Rep. 
Shays, co-chairs of the Congressional Arts Caucus, we've been making 
steady progress every year in getting back to the appropriate level of 
funding for the NEA. This amendment represents an enormous and simply 
unthinkable step backwards for the Arts in our country.
  Madam Chairman, I strongly oppose the Lamborn Amendment and urge my 
colleagues to do the same.

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