Political Quotes

“as a Member of Congress who supports the arts, I believe that the Federal government should remain an important contributor in this area. Critics point to a few controversial grants that the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has made, and I agree that some funding decisions may have been unwise. However, in recent years, the NEA has taken strides to eliminate controversy from the grant process by eliminating ``individual grants'' and ``subgrants.'' In fact, most of the funding from the agency is directed toward the cultural life and diversity of our country--to people of all ages, to people in our inner cities, in our suburbs, and in our rural communities. In Delaware, the NEA provides assistance to the Delaware Division of the Arts and the Delaware Humanities Forum so they may grant funding to the Delaware Symphony Orchestra, the Delaware Theater Company, Opera Delaware and many other community and school activities. When it comes to partnership between private, state, and Federal funding of the arts the NEA sets an outstanding example. According to the agency, one endowment dollar attracts twelve dollars or more from state and regional arts agencies as well as corporations, businesses and individuals. In fact, NEA funded programs generate economic activity through tourism, urban renewal and economic development throughout the nation.”