CAA News Today

Senators Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.), Jim Jeffords (I-Vt.), and Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) have come together to serve as co-chairs of a new bipartisan Senate caucus. In the letter announcing its formation, the Senate Cultural Caucus seeks �to bring focus to the arts and humanities and the positive impact they have on our daily lives.� The caucus, which will likely serve as a strong base of support for pro-arts legislation in the Senate, will highlight the work of the three primary federal cultural agencies: the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

The caucus chairs aim to recruit at least forty more senators by the end of the year. If the total reaches fifty-one, the caucus would create a powerful bipartisan bloc for promoting arts legislation. The House of Representatives created the Congressional Humanities Caucus in early 2005, as well as the Arts Caucus in 1997, which currently has more than 180 members.

Contact your senators and urge them to join the Cultural Caucus today!