Breaking News: Amendments Defeated to Cut Funding for the Arts and Humanities

Celebration for Arts and Humanities Advocates!

We are thrilled to announce the defeat of two House floor amendments proposed by Freedom Caucus member Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK), which aimed to cut funding to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) by $48 million each. The NEA amendment was defeated by voice vote, while the NEH amendment was defeated with a recorded vote of 269-to-147. (Check how your U.S. House Member voted.)

2025 Interior Appropriations Bill - Defeat of Brecheen Amendment

On the House floor, Congressional Arts Caucus Co-Chair and Ranking Democrat of the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME), emphasized, “The arts have immense value as a positive tool for economic development, education, and community building. The NEA is the federal agency that funds, promotes, and strengthens the creative capacity of our communities, providing all Americans with diverse opportunities for arts participation. This small but mighty agency supports arts organizations and artists in every congressional district.”

Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID), Chairman of the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, also opposed the amendments, stating, “I've seen firsthand the impact of the NEA and NEH in Idaho and across the country. Communities we represent benefit from access to arts and art programs. My concern isn't for the arts in major cities like Washington, New York, or Los Angeles, but for the arts in small towns like Shelly, Idaho, where the local arts council does a fantastic job. The funding's impact on small communities and their arts councils is significant.”

Arts advocate Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) also voiced her opposition to the bill, saying, “The Republican majority has made unacceptable cuts to the arts and humanities in this bill.”

Thank you for your dedicated arts advocacy efforts. Now, we await further developments in the Senate on Thursday!

Nina Ozlu Tunceli Executive Director, Arts Action Fund Chief Counsel of Government and Public Affairs, Americans for the Arts