CAA News Today

On July 17, 2002, the U.S. House of Representatives approved an amendment to increase funding by $10 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and $5 million for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) over President Bush’s fiscal year 2003 budget request. The amendment directs the $10 million increase for the NEA to the agency’s Challenge America program, an initiative designed to extend the reach of arts programs to underserved communities. No specifications were made for the additional NEH funding.

If these increases survive a vote in the Senate and receive the president’s signature, the NEA will begin the fiscal year in October with $127 million (a $12.1 million increase from fiscal year 2002), and the NEH will have $131.9 million (a $7 million increase from last year).