Legislative News - 2014
Read the latest arts news
Around Thanksgiving, there was a flurry of congressional activity to attempt to make several key charitable giving tax provisions permanent and remove them from the cycle of expiration and retroactive reinstatement, including the IRA Charitable Rollover and enhanced deductions for donations of land conservation easements and food inventory. That bipartisan and bicameral work fell apart with a Presidential veto threat, but then on December 11, the U.S.
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.
On November 20, Reps. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), Aaron Schock (R-IL), Cheri Bustos (D-IL), Rodney Davis (R-IL), Juan Vargas (D-CA), and Todd Young (R-IN) introduced a bipartisan congressional resolution (H.Res.761) in support of Giving Tuesday.
As Congress returned to session following the midterm elections, Americans for the Arts and Americans for the Arts' Action Fund joined more than 1,000 organizations from across the nonprofit sector in sending a letter to all 535 Members of Congress to advocate for permanent enactment of the charitable tax provisions within any year-end tax ext
Yesterday, American voters turned out to the polls to vote for federal, state and local candidates and ballot measures. With many headlines focusing on control of the U.S. Senate or trends of state legislature leadership, arts education was central to several races throughout the country.
October is National Arts & Humanities Month (NAHM)! Throughout the month, several members of Congress have taken to social media to join in Americans for the Arts’ trending Instagram campaign to #ShowYourArt and encourage all Americans to partake in the vibrant and varied art happening locally and across the country, including Arts Caucus co-Chair Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY), Humanities Caucus co-Chair Rep.
Today, nearly 50 members of the Charitable Giving Coalition, including Americans for the Arts, sent a letter to U.S. House Budget Chair Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) applauding his recent, public comments about the charitable tax deduction.
Following passage of legislation sponsored by Congressional Arts Caucus and STEAM Caucus member Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) in 2010, now each September, the country celebrates “Arts in Education Week.” This year during Arts in Education Week, the STEAM Caucus joined forces with the newly-formed Maker Caucus to brief members, staff, and interested organizations on 3D printing—and what’s happening at the intersection of art and technology in schools.
Today, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee released its draft version of the FY 2015 Interior Appropriations bill which would provide an additional $4 million to both the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Humanities Endowment (NEH)--to $150 million for each agency.
Last week, Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx after singer-guitarist John McCauley of the band Deer Tick wasn’t able to board a plane with his instrument.
