[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 3]
[House]
[Page 3926]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS, FISCAL YEAR 
         1997--MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore 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 Education and the Workforce.

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 Fiscal Year 1997.
  The Arts Endowment awards more than one thousand grants each year to 
nonprofit arts organizations for projects that bring the arts to 
millions of Americans. Once again, this year's grants reflect the 
diversity of our Nation's culture and the creativity of our artists. 
Whether seeing a classic theatrical production in Connecticut or an art 
exhibition in Arizona, whether listening to a symphony in Iowa or 
participating in a fine arts training program for inner-city students 
in Louisiana, Americans who benefit from Arts Endowment grants have 
experienced the power and joy of the arts in their lives.
  Arts Endowment grants in 1997 supported:
  --projects in theater, dance, music, visual arts, and the other 
    artistic disciplines, demonstrating that our diversity is an 
    asset--and helping us to interpret the past, understand each other 
    in the present, and envision the future;
  --folk and traditional arts programs, which strengthen and showcase 
    our rich cultural heritage; and
  --arts education, which helps improve our children's skills and 
    enhances their lives with the richness of the arts.
  The arts challenge our imaginations, nourish our spirits, and help to 
sustain our democracy. We are a Nation of creators and innovators. As 
this report illustrates, the NEA continues to celebrate America's 
artistic achievements and makes the arts more accessible to the 
American people.
                                                  William J. Clinton.  
  The White House, March 9, 1999.

                          ____________________