Political Quotes

“as chairman of the authorizing committee with jurisdiction over NEA, I would like to make a few comments about my understanding of the future of NEA. At the outset, I would note that over the years, nothing associated with the NEA has ever been easy. There are always competing factions with strong views. In fact, because of these strongly held views, 1993 was the last year the NEA was authorized and for the past few years it has been continued on a year-to-year basis only by virtue of the appropriations process. In 1995, my committee did vote out, with some bipartisan help, an authorization to phase it out over a 3-year period. However, the leadership did not see fit to bring that to the floor of the House. Now we have before us a rule which would allow the Ehlers amendment, block grant amendment, which is authorizing legislation to be attached to the appropriations bill. I would have preferred that they wait before moving authorizing legislation on this bill. However, it is my understanding that the authorizing committee will be permitted to work its will, according to the majority leader and the chairman of the appropriations Subcommittee on Interior.”