[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 134 (Thursday, September 18, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S5861]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO PATRICE WALKER POWELL

 Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I wish to congratulate Ms. Patrice 
Walker Powell, a remarkable Virginian who is retiring after 23 years at 
the National Endowment for the Arts, NEA. During her more than two 
decades of service, Ms. Powell has worked to broaden and deepen the 
engagement of diverse communities with the NEA and with arts 
stakeholders in urban and rural venues across America.
  Ms. Powell's contributions to the NEA are too many to enumerate, but 
her leadership reflects a commitment to fiscally responsible 
management, sound stewardship through challenging times, and prolonged 
outreach to underrepresented communities. In response to leaner 
operational budgets, Ms. Powell was elevated to lead a department of 
several consolidated program areas, and was responsible for developing 
innovative approaches to advancing the agency's mission. Ms. Powell 
embraced public-private partnerships, innovative grant programs, and 
arts support programs to strengthen a diverse cultural infrastructure 
for the Nation.
  As the agency began to acclimate to a reduced funding environment, 
NEA research showed that there were 20 States receiving 5 or fewer 
direct grants per year. Ms. Powell devised a comprehensive pilot 
strategy that collaborated with State arts agencies to hold staff-led 
seminars on NEA funding opportunities and identify potential 
applicants. Over the course of the 3-year commitment to this pilot 
program, the number of NEA-supported projects in these States increased 
by 350 percent.
  Under her leadership, the NEA undertook a massive modernization 
project focused on access and outreach. As a result, every publication 
produced by the NEA has been digitized and is now available 
electronically to students and to the general public. This achievement 
has been praised as a significant contribution toward ensuring that the 
record of the agency's history is maintained for the future.
  Ms. Powell's dedication to the NEA would ultimately result in her 
being called upon to serve as Acting Chair. She has proudly represented 
her country in the international arts arena, including on delegations 
to South Africa, Germany, Senegal, and Austria. Although these 
accomplishments are but some of the highlights of Ms. Powell's career, 
they exemplify her proven record of public service and advocacy for the 
arts and our Nation. I thank her for her service and wish her a long 
and happy retirement.

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