CAA News Today

Below is a listing of congressional committees important to arts and humanities legislation. If your Senator or Representative serves on one or more of these committees, he or she will have a direct impact on arts and humanities policy, and can play an active role in the funding debate. We urge you to make a special effort to contact your representative by sending a letter of support for the federal funding of the NEA and the NEH. Whenever possible, you should meet directly with your representative. You can also contact your representatives by clicking on the Americans for the Arts websiticker. Again, if you need further information about your representative’s involvement with federal funding, please feel free to email Rebecca Cederholm.

2005 House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee:

2005 Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee:

RE: NEA and NEH Funding

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[DATE]

The Honorable [FULL NAME]
U.S. House of Representative / United States Senate
Washington, DC 20515 (House) 20510 (Senate)

Dear Representative / Senator [LAST NAME]:

Public encouragement and financial assistance for arts and humanities programs are very much in the hearts and minds of the citizens of this country. I urge you to support these programs in discussions with other members of Congress and the general public. Moreover, whenever possible, please vote in favor of increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

With a relatively small investment from Congress, the federal cultural agencies provide access to high-quality educational programs and resources that reach millions of Americans each year. To this end, it is critical that we continue to strengthen funding for the arts and scholarly research through increased appropriations for the NEA and NEH.

As an individual who is passionate about our nation’s arts programs and a member of the College Art Association, I look forward to your powerful recognition concerning arts and humanities funding. If ever I can be of assistance to you in this endeavor, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR ORGANIZATION OR MEMBER OF CAA]

Whether you plan to meet with your legislator in Washington, D.C. or will schedule a visit with staff in your district office, keep in mind the following points when preparing for your meeting:

• Each office schedules appointments differently, but usually they are arranged by the Washington or district scheduler. Your legislator’s office in Washington may be reached by calling the Capitol Switchboard, 202/224-3121. Before you call, be prepared to tell the scheduler the date and time you would like to meet and the general topics you wish to discuss.
• Whether your meeting is in Washington or in your home district, call the member’s office in Washington to speak with the legislative assistant who handles arts issues and notify him/her of your upcoming meeting. Doing so may help the member of Congress to be better prepared, and encourages a follow-up relationship with that assistant.
• If you are joining other advocates for a group meeting, inform the scheduler of the number of people expected in your group and identify them. It is also important to meet with the other members of your group prior to the meeting to discuss what you want to achieve and to plan your presentation. Appointing one member of the group to lead the meeting with the legislator will result in a discussion that is focused, conveys a clear message, and extracts useful information.
• Assume that the time allotted by the legislator’s office is “the real time”–don’t assume that once the meeting begins, you can extend the meeting time. (However, it often turns out that if a meeting is going well, you may get more time with the legislator than you expected.)
• Be on time. An unwritten law of lobbying is that it’s okay (up to a point) for the legislator or staff to be late, but unacceptable for the lobbyist to be late.
• Be sure to take some materials to the legislator or staff to illustrate or amplify your points, but do not overwhelm him/her with paper.
• Don’t do all the talking–listen, and take notes too. Try to explore what the legislator’s views are.
• # When the legislator asks questions, provide direct answers whenever possible. If you don’t know the answer, say you’ll get back to him or her. (Another reason for taking notes: you must follow up.)
• If you wind up meeting only with staff even though you had an appointment with the legislator, take into account the circumstances. There is likely a legitimate reason that the legislator could not make the appointment. Remember that staff are important in the process as well; they are responsible for gauging constituents’ views on issues and communicating them to the legislator.
• Don’t be discouraged if legislators decline to take a solid position or make commitments during your meeting. Using your own judgment, try to get a feeling for what their reservations are, how you can address them, and what realistic avenues you can pursue in the future to gain their support or modify their opposition.
• Send a thank-you letter to the legislator or staff, restating the main points of the meeting. Also send any information requested in the meeting.

–HCW American Symphony League