Monday, December 15, 2014

Congress reached agreement on final funding for most federal agencies and programs for the 2015 fiscal year, which started back in October. The U.S. House passed this mega "cromnibus" by a vote of 219-206 on December 11. The U.S. Senate passed it by a vote of 56-40 on December 13. Included in the agreement is $146 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), which continues agency funding at current levels through September 2015. This funding level matches the U.S. House committee's proposal from this summer and the President's request from the spring, but it is less than the $150 million proposed by the U.S. Senate in a draft bill. Also included is $25 million in funding for the Arts in Education program at the U.S. Department of Education, which has again survived efforts to zero out funding or consolidate all funds. In addition to funding, Congress included several policy provisions, notably legislation that reauthorizes Brand USA, a public-private partnership that helps generate international visits to the U.S. aiding the cultural tourism sector.

A comparative summary of the final FY 2015 appropriations is as follows; funding is in millions of $:

Key Federally Funded Arts Entity

                                                

FY 2014 Omnibus  FY 2015 President's  Request FY 2015 House  Subcommittee FY 2015 House Full Committee  FY 2015 Senate Subcommittee  FY 2015 Cromnibus 
National Endowment for the Arts $146.02 $146.02 $138.0 $146.02 $150.0 $146.02
National Endowment for the Humanities $146.02 $146.02 $138.0 $146.02 $150.0 $146.02
Institute of Museum and Library Services $226.86 $226.45 N/A N/A $227.86 $227.86
* Office of Museum Services $30 $31.06 N/A N/A $30.13 $31.0
U.S. Department of Education's Arts in Education $25 $0 N/A N/A $25 $25
Corporation for Public Broadcasting (advanced) $445 $445 N/A N/A $445 $445
Smithsonian Institution $805 $850.9 $813.4 $813.4 $825.44 $819.54
*Facilities $158 $150.1 $139.0 $139.0 $150.1 $144.2
National Gallery of Art $133 $140 $137.0 $137.0 $140.0 $138.5
*Repairs $15.0 $19.0 $19.0 $19.0 $19.0 $19.0
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts $34.4 $32.8 $32.8 $32.8 $32.8 $32.8
*Repairs $12.21 $10.8 $10.8 $10.8 $10.8 $10.8
Commission of Fine Arts $2.4 $2.52 $2.52 $2.52 $2.52 $2.52
National Capital Arts & Cultural Affairs $2.0 $0 $1.0 $1.0 $2.0 $2.0
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum $52.39 $52.39 $52.39 $52.39 $52.39 $52.39
Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) $3,030 $2,800 $3,000 $3,000 $3,020 $3,000
Educational & Cultural Exchange (State Dept.) $560 $577.9 $568.63 $568.63 $590.77 $589.9
*Professional & Cultural Exchange $188.73 $198 not specified not specified $195.58 $195.24
             
*Denotes the specific funds for repairs/facilities, but the itemized amount is already included in overall budget allocation to the entity.            
             
Not specified: The Committee expects that funds for special exchange programs are awarded on a competitive basis and the planned levels for each will be included in the agency's future operating plan.            
             
N/A: No released bills