1. Update on House Subcommittee Action on FY'96 Budget for NEH 2.
Update on FY'96 Funding for Historic Preservation
1. Update on House Subcommittee Action on FY'96 Budget for NEH - On
June 22 the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Related
Agencies marked up their FY'96 appropriations bill. The committee,
chaired by Representative Ralph Regula (R-OH), had in its draft bill a
recommendation to fund both NEH and NEA at the level of $99.7 million.
This would have meant a 43% cut for NEH from the current level of $177
million. However, Representative Jim Bunn (R-OR) proposed moving $50
million from Life Sciences Research Services, a biological survey in
the Department of Interior, to NEH. The subcommittee voted in favor
of the Bunn amendment, making the figure for NEH close to $150
million. Four members -- Regula (R-OH), Nethercutt (R-WA), Livingston
(R-LA), and Skaggs (D-CO) -- voted against the Bunn amendment.
The subcommittee also considered a proposal from Representative Jim
Kolbe (R-AZ) that would have allocated 80% of NEH funding for the
state programs. Kolbe's proposal reflected a provision in H.R. 1557,
a reauthorization bill introduced by Representative Bill Goodling (R-
PA) and passed in May by the House Economic and Educational
Opportunities Committee, which calls for a four year phase out for NEH
and the transfer of 80% of all NEH funds to the states.
Representative Norman Dicks (D-WA) objected to Kolbe's amendment on
the grounds that it was an attempt to legislate policy and thus went
beyond the authority of the appropriations subcommittee. When the
subcommittee chair, Regula, supported Dicks' position that such a
motion was out of order, Kolbe withdrew his amendment.
The full House Appropriations Committee will consider the markup by
the Interior and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Thursday morning,
June 22. There is speculation that Representative Kolbe will rework
his amendment and introduce it before the full committee. Some
organizations supporting NEH endorse the current funding level of $28
million for the state programs. However an appropriation of $120
million for the states, which is 80% of the proposed $150 million,
would mean that the national educational, research, and public
programs would be decimated. Organizations supporting NEH urge their
members to contact the leadership prior to the June 22 full
Appropriations Committee markup and express appreciation for the $150
million appropriation for NEH and urge funding for the states to be
earmarked at the current level of $28 million. The key members of the
House Appropriations Committee are: Chair of the Appropriations
Committee, Bob Livingston (R-LA) fax number - (202) 225-0739; Ralph
Regula (R-OH) - fax number (202) 225-3059; Jim Kolbe (R-AZ) - fax
number (202) 225- 0378; Sidney Yates (D-IL) - fax number (202) 225-
3493; and David Obey (D-WI) - fax number (202) 225-3240. The Capital
Switchboard which can transfer your call to any congressional office
is (202) 224-3121.
2. Update on FY'96 Funding for Historic Preservation - On June 22 the
House Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies recommended a two-
thirds cut and possible elimination for the Advisory Council on
Historic Preservation. The Council was created in 1966 and advises
the President and Congress on national historic preservation issues
and directs the process established under the National Historical
Preservation Act of protecting historic properties from harm by
Federal activities. The Advisory Council has played a critical role in
the preservation of our nation's heritage. The Advisory Council,
which currently has a budget for about $3 million, would be reduced to
$1 million. The subcommittee also voted for a sharp cut for the
National Trust for Historic Preservation, recommending $3.5 million, a
50% reduction from the current funding of $7 million. The state
historic preservation programs fared well, with $31 million, the
current funding level, recommended for FY'96. The House Appropriations
Committee will consider these recommendations on June 22.
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