Tag recently received this message through his Facebook account, we thought it might be relevant to our readers:
Obama’s economic stimulus plan includes the arts and arts education:
Wisconsin’s own Rep. David Obey (7th District) , House Appropriations Chairman, released a summary on the structural framework for the proposed $825 billion American Recovery and Investment Bill of 2009 economic stimulus plan.
Included in the proposed bill is an infusion of $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (in addition to its annual appropriations) to specifically preserve jobs in the nonprofit arts sector threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support. As stated in the bill’s report language “The National Endowment for the Arts is positioned to use existing mechanisms to allocate lifeline funding quickly to these nonprofit organizations to retain jobs.” This funding will support arts programs around the country through direct grants from the NEA and regranting to state arts agencies such as the Wisconsin Arts Board.
The House plan proposes additional opportunities throughout other parts of the federal government that could also help the nonprofit arts sector and individual artists.
The bill currently devotes $275 billion in tax relief and $550 billion in domestic spending.
The Senate and the White House will likely unveil additional versions of an economic recovery package. Arts Wisconsin and Americans for the Arts are calling on arts advocates to contact your House and Senate members and your local media to raise to ensure there is support for the nonprofit arts sector in the federal economic recovery plan.
In addition to showing support for federal efforts, Arts Wisconsin urges the state’s arts advocates to ask Gov. Doyle and state legislators to include support for the arts, arts education, and creativity in Wisconsin’s economic recovery package, as plans emerge for the 2009-2011 state budget. Wisconsin should join in partnership with the federal government and lead the way on the state level to use the arts as part of the solution.
Here’s what you can do to take action and speak up for these exciting opportunities:
1. Write to your Members of Congress to urge support of the arts’ inclusion in national economy recovery efforts – template message at http://www.capwiz.com/artsusa/issues/alert/?alertid=12426636
2. Write to Gov. Doyle and state legislators and urge them to do the same in Wisconsin (go to http://capwiz.com/artsusa/wi/issues/alert/?alertid=12447886&type=ML&show_alert=1 for a template message which can be personalized with info from your organization and your community.Arts Wisconsin and Americans for the Arts will keep you up to date on all developments and actions statewide and on the federal level. For more information on the ongoing efforts to respond to and help shape the economic downturn, visit Americans for the Arts’ The Arts and National Economic Recovery site: http://www.artsusa.org/information_services/recovery/default.asp.
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View Announcement <http://apps.facebook.com/causes/posts/108945?m=033297ec> – Invite Friends <http://apps.facebook.com/causes/cause_invitations/new?m=033297ec&cause_id=112620>
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We succeeded in Madison- lets push arts funding through at the national level!
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Update:
Since this letter was sent out the bill was passed through the first half of our Congress, The House of Representatives, with the arts funding in tact. It lacked any Republican votes however. What does that mean for Wisconsin? Congressmen F James Sensenbrenner, Jr. of District 5 and Thomas E. Petri of District 6 voted against the stimulus plan. It is now being debated in the Senate. Wondering who else to email? Click for a full listing of WI Congress folk.
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US Government 101:
Although the House of Representatives is oft referred to as “Congress”, it is actually one of two branches of Congress, the second being the Senate. All Congress persons, which include both House and Congress People, are democratically elected to office (outside of a leave of office before a term is complete). Although our constitution grants each branch of Congress slightly different powers and responsibilities, all proposals must be approved by both houses before signed in to law.
Got it? Good.
-MJ
Filed under: Music News & Reviews, Sounding Board Blog Tagged: | americans for the arts, Arts funding, arts wisconsin, national endowment for the arts, wisconsin arts board
