nha-announce: Senate alert

nha-announce: Senate alert

Senate alert

John Hammer (jhammer@cni.org)
Wed, 17 Sep 1997 10:02:43 -0400 (EDT) 

Date: Wed, 17 Sep 1997 10:02:43 -0400 (EDT)
From: John Hammer <jhammer@cni.org>
To: NHANews <NHA-NEWS@cni.org>, nhaannounce <NHA-ANNOUNCE@cni.org>
Subject: Senate alert
Message-Id: <Pine.ULT.3.96.970917100135.27952B-100000@a.cni.org>


17 September 1997

MEMORANDUM

TO:	NHA Members and Friends
FR:	John Hammer

RE:	Interim Report on the Senate Debate on the FY-98 Interior
Appropriations Bill (H.R.2107)

On Monday, floor debate on the interior bill began and included
introduction of a number of amendments affecting the National Endowment
for the Humanities (NEA) including:

	*	Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) which would blockgrant 75% of
NEA's $100 million to the states; provide $20 million for national grants
to institutions; and $5 million for NEA administration [amendment 1186];

	*	Tim Hutchinson (R-AR), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Spencer
Abraham (R-MI), and Mike Enzi (R-WY) to abolish NEA and blockgrant
virtually all NEA funds to the states [amendment 1187] 

	*	John Ashcroft (R-MO), Jesse Helms (R-NC), Sam Brownback
(R-KS) and Mr. Sessions to abolish the NEA [amendment 1188];

	*	Tim Hutchinson (R-AR), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Spencer
Abraham (R-MI), and Mike Enzi (R-WY) to abolish NEA and blockgrant
virtually all NEA funds to the states [amendment 1187] 

In addition, Mr. Abraham (R-MI) has twice announced plans to introduce an
amendment to privatize the NEA over 3-years.  Perhaps it will be ready
tomorrow.  This amendment may be introduced this morning..

On Monday, Senator John Warner (R-VA) announced that he supported the
Appropriations Committee bill and discussed his role in amending the
Jeffords-Kennedy-Chaffee (S.1020) reauthorization bill.  Said he hope the
leaders of the appropriations and authorizing committees would bring forth
parts of the authorizing bill to include in H.R.2107.

Senator Robert Bennett (R-UT), who serves as point man for the endowments
on the Interior and Related Agencies (Appropriations) Subcommittee said
that he regretted the polarizing debate over the NEA that made
constructive compromise so difficult.  He indicated that he found Kay
Bailey Hutchison's concept interesting but that he would vote for the
committee report.  

Mr. Bennett also mentioned that Appropriations Chair Ted Stevens (R-AK)
would offer an amendment calling for serious investigation, hearings, and
so forth on the possibility of merging the NEA and NEH.  Mr., Bennett
emphasized that he favored a deliberative approach that invites input
through hearings.

James Jeffords (R-VT) spoke in favor of the Appropriations Committee bill
but did not reveal whether he favors attaching S.1020 to the bill.  Last
week, Staffers suggested that Mr. Jeffords and Edward Kennedy (D-MA) would
offer the reauthorization bill as an amendment if Ms. Hutchison's
amendment was offered. 

Yesterday, Slade Gorton (R-WA), Interior Subcommittee chair agreed to the
demands of a number of Western Senators to remove the two sections of the
bill affecting Indian tribal sovereignty and a means test for federal
payments.  In exchange, it was agreed that the two issues will be studied
by the Indian Affairs Committee chaired by Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-CO).
Mr. Campbell, who is Native American himself, gave a passionate speech
underscoring the history of the Federal Government and Native America
tribes

This morning (Wednesday, September 17), debate resumes with the announced
plan to move to voting.  At Mr. Gorton's direction, the Ashcroft et al
amendment will be voted on first.

WHAT CAN BE DONE AT THIS POINT?

ALL OF THE AMENDMENTS WILL BE DAMAGING TO THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE
ARTS.  THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES WILL BE WEAKENED IN THE
LONGER RUN IF THE NEA IS WEAKENED.

CONCERNED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE URGED TO TELEPHONE THEIR SENATORS
THIS TODAY (PREFERABLY THIS MORNING) TO ASK THAT SENATORS SUPPORT THE
FY-98 INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS BILL (H.R.1020) AND TO OPPOSE ALL AMENDMENTS
THAT RESTRUCTURE, ABOLISH, PRIVATIZE, OR OTHERWISE AFFECT THE NATIONAL
ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.

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