University of Rhode Island DigitalCommons@URI Education: National Endowment for the Arts and Reauthorization: S. 2724 (1990) Humanities, Subject Files I (1973-1996) 1989 Reauthorization: S. 2724 (1990): Speech 04 Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/pell_neh_I_75 Recommended Citation "Reauthorization: S. 2724 (1990): Speech 04" (1989). Reauthorization: S. 2724 (1990). Paper 12. http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/pell_neh_I_75/12 This Speech is brought to you for free and open access by the Education: National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities, Subject Files I (1973-1996) at DigitalCommons@URI. It has been accepted for inclusion in Reauthorization: S. 2724 (1990) by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@URI. For more information, please contact [email protected]. UPDATE lOlst Congress First Session March 31, 1989 ATTENTION HOUSE MEMBERS 11 The House Appropriation Subcommittee on the Interior (Sidney Yates, D-IL, Chairman) has scheduled a hearing for Members of Congress to present testimony regarding programs under the Subcommittee's jurisdiction. Members of the Arts Caucus are invited to testify in person or submit statements on the FY '90 Budgets of: National Endowment for the Arts National Endowment for the Humanities Institute of Museum Services Historic Preservation Fund The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, April 25 in B308 Rayburn from 10:00 am through the afternoon. If Members are planning to testify in person, the Subcommittee has requested that a letter be sent to Chairman Yates notifying him of that intention as soon as possible in order to be placed on the witness list. Members should indicate that they will be testifying on the federal arts agencies. Written statements will be accepted by the SubcoI!Dllittee until May 9. For copies of sample testimony and additional information, please contact the Arts Caucus at x62456. -more- Executive Board Anthony Beilenson Robert Garcia Jerry Lewis E. Clay Shaw, Jr. Helen Delich Bentley Benjamin Gilman Thomas Manton Gerry Sikorski Bob Carr Howard Berman Bart Gordon Dave Mccurdy Louise Slaughter Chairman Tom Bevill William Gray Ill Raymond McGrath Larry Smith James Jeffords Ben Blaz Bill Green Kweisi Mfume Charles W. Stenholm Vice-Chairman David Bonior Frank Guarini Daniel Patrick Moynihan Ted Stevens Jim Leach Dan Burton Ralph Hall Robert Mrazek Ed Towns Secrerary Ben Nighthorse Campbell Charles Hatcher Dave Nagle Bruce Vento E. Thomas Coleman Dennis Hertel Stephen L. Neal Henry Waxman Tony Coelho Cardiss Collins Frank Horton Bill Nelson Ted Weiss Treasurer George Crockett, Jr. Steny Hoyer Wayne Owens Pat Williams Pete Wilson George Darden James lnhofe Ron Packard Jim Wright Membership Liaison/Senate John Dingell Andy Ireland Donald Payne Julian Dixon Barbara Kennelly Nancy Pelosi Robert Matsui Thomas Downey John LaFalce Nick Rahall Rhoda Glickman Membership Liaison/House David Durenberger Martin Lancaster Charles Rangel Executive Director Ben Erdreich Patrick Leahy Bill Richardson Suzanne F. Farmer Gary Ackerman Vic Fazio Richard Lehman Matthew J. Rinaldo Legislative Counsel Daniel Akaka Hamilton Fish, Jr. William Lehman Robert Roe Beryl Anthony Tom Foley Mickey Leland J. Roy Rowland 345 House Annex #2 Jim Bates Wyche Fowler Carl Levin Thomas Sawyer Washington, D.C. 20515 Max Baucus Barney Frank Mel Levine James Scheuer 1202) 226-2456 IC".'~ • . • OUTSIDE WITNESS HEARING FOR NFA Nim AND IMS -{RJOR AND RELATED AGENCIES SUBCOHMITrEE In an all-day hearing on Tuesday, March 22nd, the ttee on In =rior and Related Agencies (Sidney Yates D-IL, Chairman) testimony fr .. m art and humanities leaders representing various organi~a.m--~ and disciplines. Among witnesses before the Subcommittee of the American Arts Alliance, the American Association of urns, the American Council for the Arts and the National Humanities A They testified on the importance of funding assistance to the various sectors they represent and focused their remarks on the significance of funding from NEA, NEH and IMS to their programs. The importance of federal leadership in the arts and humanities, and how NEA, NEH and IMS has served that important function over the years, was mentioned over and over during the hearing. On the significance of supporting the arts, actress Colleen Dewhurst, President of Actor's Equity Association, said, "The arts are an agent of economic development. The arts can be an agent of human development as well." Frank W. Lynch, Vice Chairman of Northrop Corporation, enriched the discussions by presenting his corporate perspective. He said, " •.. corporate giving to the arts has leveled and it would be unrealistic to believe that we will see any significant change to t:his trend." "Further," he added, "there are new pressures on corporate giving that have the potential to shift emphasis from one sector to another as social concerns change. To the extent this occurs it could create further problems for corporate giving to the arts." The Administration has proposed $170.100 million for NEA, $153.250 million for NEH and $22.350 million for IMS. Each of these funding requests represent an increase of $1 million, $250,000 and $80,000 for NEA, NEH and IMS respectively. The dollar amount of the requests, however, do not make up for the toll inflation has taken over the years. William P. Blair, Chairman of the American Arts Alliance, like others who came to testify, made a plea for a funding level that would put in )o accoun~{jr:e;;• or;: ~u~k~'»t ,~ L1'-i ~9---v~ I ~ ~JLu~_Q __ .g_ ~'-- , NATIONAL AFRICAN-AMKRICAN HERITAGE MEMORIAL MUSVPOSED Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) introduced a bill on March 22nd which would establish a National African-American Heritage Memorial Museum, located in Washington, D.C. (preferably on The Mall), and dedicated to collecting, cataloging, conserving, and displaying historical materials, artifacts and papers relating to the history and culture of African-Americans. In addition, the legislation would set up a Trust for Black Museums, which would be responsible for collecting artifacts, and training and developing black museum professionals. The proposed museum would be a semi-independent entity, loosely affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution, with a board of directors appointed by the President of the United States. The bill authorizes $5 million in FY'90 to create an administrative structure for fundraising. -2-.