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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000044.txt from 2005/10
From: Kat Sleeper <katsleeper@-----.net>
Subj: [DR-L] RE: Arts Education: For US members who are interested
Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2005 19:12:50 -0400
I received this from the ASTA list:
Begin forwarded message:
Contact Your Senators Now in Support of Arts Education!
Your help is needed to ensure that the Arts in Education programs at=20
the U.S. Department of Education get the support they need from=20
Congress. For the past four years, both the President and the U.S.=20
House of Representatives have slated the Arts in Education programs for=20=
elimination. Due to strong support in the Senate, the Arts in Education=20=
programs have survived with modest increases each year=20
(http://www.symphony.org/govaff/fedefund/pdf/fundingchart.pdf). This=20
year, the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved $35.7 million--a=20=
$100,000 increase over last year's funding level. The House has=20
eliminated arts in education from its appropriations bill. As Congress=20=
nears final consideration of all FY06 funding, we need strong support=20
from the Senate in order for these programs to survive.
Learn More about the Arts in Education Programs:=20
http://symphony.pmailus.com/pmailweb/ct?id=3D-76+81006912+115+1+30725
Action Needed--Just 3 Steps
Act soon! Congress will return to Washington on Tuesday to resume the=20
FY06 decision-making process. Make sure your Senators hear from you by=20=
this Friday, October 21!
1. Read the Arts in Education issue brief=20
(http://www.symphony.org/govaff/what/pdf/2005Art.pdf ) for complete=20
background information and talking points.
2. Contact your U.S. Senators. For contact information, visit ASTA=92s=20=
Capwiz site at http://capwiz.com/astaweb/home/, and enter your zip code=20=
under the =93Congress and President=94 section. Then click on "e-mail"=20=
under your senator's photo.
3. Convey the following message to your Senators (you can cut and paste=20=
into the body of your e-mail message) : "Support $35.7 million in FY06=20=
for the Arts in Education programs at the U.S. Department of Education,=20=
which provide direct support for model community arts collaborations=20
with schools and innovative professional development programs for arts=20=
specialists and classroom teachers."
What's Next? Congress Weighs Funding Priorities
Already more than a week into the 2006 fiscal year, Congress is=20
struggling to settle final funding decisions. Only two of the twelve=20
required FY06 funding bills have been signed into law. Congress has=20
passed a "continuing resolution," which keeps most federal programs=20
operating at last year's funding level until November 18, at which=20
point Congress must either finish up the ten remaining spending bills,=20=
pass another continuing resolution, or combine incomplete spending=20
measures into one big "omnibus" bill. Meanwhile, Congress has spent=20
billions in additional spending for the war in Iraq and hurricane=20
relief (with more likely to come). All of this amounts to a very=20
strained atmosphere, leaving members of Congress to re-evaluate=20
spending priorities.
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