SAVE the NEA! Restore NEH and IMLS!
Recent actions at the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and we expect soon the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have stripped those agencies of both their public funding and public servants, leaving them unable to fulfill their Congressional mandates which include:
- NEA supporting the arts and arts agencies in every state and territory.
- NEH supporting the humanities and humanities councils in every state and territory.
- IMLS supporting museums and especially libraries in every state and territory.
Now is the time to ask congress to take immediate action to protect the NEA and restore all funding and staffing to the NEH and IMLS. Take TWO MINUTES to urge your representatives to protect and defend the NEA, NEH, and IMLS, as well as their congressional authority, for the betterment of your community, your state, and the entire nation.
The NEA and NEH make up only 0.003% each of the overall federal budget and work to support more than just the nonprofit arts sector, which alone generates more than $150 billion dollars in economic activity to the American economy and supports more than 2.6 million jobs. IMLS accounts for only 0.0046% of the federal budget and serves a sector that supports more than 726,000 jobs and generates over $50 billion dollars in economic benefit. This is a small investment for a huge return. This is not just good government; this is good business.
The dismantling of these agencies has already caused damage throughout the country, costing not only jobs, but also educational and community programs in rural areas and with other underserved populations. The consequences of these reckless actions are now surfacing, and the reality of what we may lose is starting to become clear. Will there be no library programs for seniors and children in rural communities, or no art therapy that addresses the unique and special needs of military patients and veterans diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and psychological health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?
Now is the time to ask your congress to take immediate action to protect the NEA and restore all funding and staffing to our federal cultural agencies.. Urge your representatives to protect and defend the NEA, NEH, and IMLS, as well as their congressional authority, for the betterment of your community, your state, and the entire nation.