CAA News Today

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Republican Study Committee (RSC) has called for eliminating all funding for the NEA, the NEH, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The RSC is a policy body that advises conservative Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Though cutting this funding would not even make a dent in the need for hurricane relief, it would deprive the affected areas of much-needed help in rebuilding their vital cultural sectors.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Republican Study Committee (RSC) has called for eliminating all funding for the NEA, the NEH, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The RSC is a policy body that advises conservative Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Though cutting this funding would not even make a dent in the need for hurricane relief, it would deprive the affected areas of much-needed help in rebuilding their vital cultural sectors.

As last year, the U.S. House of Representatives has approved a bill to eliminate FY 2006 funding for federal Arts in Education grants through the U.S. Department of Education. Last year, fourteen grants totaling about $3.9 million were made to support the development, implementation, and expansion of arts education programs and the integration of arts instruction into the core curriculum. Additionally, 23 new awards totaling $6,169,184 were made in the Professional Development for Arts Educators Grant Program, which supports the implementation of high-quality programs in elementary and secondary education for music, dance, drama, media arts, and visual arts.

The Senate, however, is expected to approve next year’s funding for the Arts in Education (AIE) program. Once the Senate passes its version of the bill, it will conduct negotiations with the House to work out a compromise. To ensure that the final bill does not zero out this important grant program, please write your U.S. Representative and Senator to express your support for the Arts in Education funding.