[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 18412]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                        TRIBUTE TO CHAIRMAN IVEY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BOB CLEMENT

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 2, 2001

  Mr. CLEMENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Chairman Bill Ivey 
who will soon be stepping down as Chairman of the National Endowment 
for the Arts and returning to Nashville, Tennessee. Although I am 
saddened by his leaving, I am proud that he will once again be one of 
my constituents in his new position as the Harvie Branscomb 
Distinguished University Visiting Scholar at Vanderbilt University.
  In his new capacity, he will teach, write and conduct research on 
cultural policy as well as begin the planning and development of a 
center that will examine the complex relationship between the arts and 
public policy. Prior to his most recent position, Bill was one of the 
most widely respected individuals in both the music community as well 
as the business community at large. Bill joined the Country Music 
Foundation in Nashville in 1971. The Foundation is accredited by the 
American Association of Museums as a nonprofit education and research 
center. It operates the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, manages 
historic properties and publishes a well-respected journal.
  Under Chairman Ivey's stewardship, the NEA has funded extremely 
valuable and important educational programs and worthwhile events in my 
home state of Tennessee and across the country. The NEA provides 
funding for many programs in Tennessee, including the Nashville 
Symphony Association, Fisk University, and the Tennessee Arts 
Commission. I believe it is important to ensure that adequate funding 
for these programs continues.
  Chairman Ivey has restored the image of the NEA and, under his 
leadership, federal funding has risen steadily. He has successfully 
brought a diverse array of arts and cultural programs into rural and 
previously under-served communities across the country. Programs such 
as ARTSReach: Strengthening Communities Through the Arts have helped 
build more than 223 partnerships between arts organizations and civic 
organizations--schools, churches, chambers of commerce and youth 
groups--in more than 175 communities in 20 under-served states. This 
highly successful program has opened the world of the arts to thousands 
of Americans.
  However, the need is so much larger than the funds available. For 
every worthwhile request that receives funding, many other equally 
worthwhile proposals are rejected simply for a lack of available funds. 
These programs preserve and provide access to cultural and education 
resources to our citizens. They provide opportunities for lifelong 
learning in arts and humanities. And they strengthen teaching and 
learning in history, literature, language and arts in schools, colleges 
and their surrounding communities.
  Just as we need to continue to fund scientific research, we must 
continue to fund the arts and humanities. A world without the arts and 
humanities would be devoid of cultural meaning. Research shows that the 
arts and humanities benefit our nation's young people by improving 
reading, writing, speaking and listening skills and by helping to 
develop problem-solving and decision-making abilities essential in 
today's global marketplace.
  The NEA is losing a respected and successful chairman, and although I 
am sorry to see him step down from the NEA, I am pleased to welcome him 
home to Nashville and look forward to continue to work with him to 
advance and promote the arts in Tennessee and across the country. I 
have every confidence that he will continue to be a strong national 
advocate for the arts and a leader in his field. Mr. Ivey has done a 
great job of promoting arts and humanities across this country and I 
appreciate his efforts.

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