Sean Patrick Maloney: “as a proud representative of New York City, an important center of the creative industries in our Nation, I rise in…”

“as a proud representative of New York City, an important center of the creative industries in our Nation, I rise in enthusiastic support of the Slaughter-Shays-Dicks-Leach-Price amendment. This amendment will provide a very small, but critical increase in funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Earlier this week, I was honored to be joined by the gentlewoman from New York and the gentleman from Connecticut--sponsors of this amendment and co-chairs of the Arts Caucus--in passing legislation recognizing the American Ballet Theater for their 65 years of service as ``America's National Ballet Theater.'' The ABT is just one of well over 7,000 arts-related businesses in my district, employing nearly 120,000 employees--the highest number of arts-related jobs in the country. And the NEA is key in bolstering the economic and creative force of these organizations. Mr. Chairman, for the 120,000 arts-related employees that I represent and the countless others who enjoy and benefit from their creativity and hard work, I urge a yes vote on the Slaughter-Shays-Dicks-Leach- Price Amendment.”