Nancy Pelosi: “Mr. Speaker, the poet Shelley once wrote that the greatest force for moral good was imagination. God knows, our children…”

“Mr. Speaker, the poet Shelley once wrote that the greatest force for moral good was imagination. God knows, our children and the people of America, but especially our children, need all of the imagination they can get to face the challenges of the future. Yet, the rule before us today serves to stifle imagination and stifle debate by eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts without even the formality of a vote. Mr. Speaker, the music and the arts are their own excuse for being, but they also help our children learn to gain confidence, to reduce barriers to communication, and to enrich the lives of the American people. Despite a 32-year history of the NEA of bringing the arts to communities all across America, to almost every congressional district, funding over 100,000 grants, and despite the overwhelming support of the American people, and despite the economic benefits pointed out by the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Moakley], the rule today eliminates the NEA without even the formality of a vote. I urge my colleagues to vote against this uncivil rule and uncivilizing rule.”