FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JUNE 18, 2004
CONTACT: ROBERT REGIER 605-335-8100
HOUSE INCREASES ARTS FUNDING
SIOUX FALLS—An amendment to the Department of the Interior appropriations bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that shifted funding from the National Endowment for the Arts to the U.S. Forest Service was defeated Wednesday. The amendment would have cut $60 million in arts funding and increased funding for the Forest Service by $23 million. The amendment was sponsored by Colorado Republican Tom Tancredo. Rep. Stephanie Herseth (D-SD), voted against the measure.
Another pair of amendments to the DOI appropriations bill increased funding for the NEA and the National Endowment for the Humanities by $13.5 million. The amendments—voted on as a block—passed 241-185. Rep. Herseth voted for the measure, which actually fell short of President Bush’s funding goal by
several million dollars.
“Arts funding is an unconstitutional role of the government and a misuse of our hard-earned tax dollars,” said South Dakota Family Policy Council executive director Robert Regier. “President Bush and Congress should get
out of the art business. Not only would the arts survive but they would thrive once the government got out. Shakespeare did just fine without help from the government.
“Imagine the uproar from the wine-and-cheese crowd if they were forced to subsidize monster truck racing. Yet, for years we’ve been forcing monster truck fans to support the opera. Even worse, instead of helping the Forest
Service maintain a safer environment, Rep. Herseth voted to give more of our tax dollars to people to paint pictures,” Regier said.
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