Proposed 2009 NEH Budget Cuts Core Grant Programs

Head of Phi Beta Kappa Testifies for NEH Budget Increase

WASHINGTON, April 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On April 3, John Churchill, secretary and CEO of Phi Beta Kappa and president of the National Humanities Alliance (NHA), testified on the proposed fiscal year (FY) 2009 budget for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080411/DC19238 )

In his prepared testimony, Churchill indicated that President Bush's FY 2009 request of $144.4 million for NEH was essentially flat funding. Within the proposed budget, however, increases for overhead and administration were offset by nearly $7 million in cuts to two core programs, NEH preservation and access grants and challenge grants.

"Over the years, inflation and budget cuts have eroded NEH's ability to carry out its congressional mandate," Churchill said. "The humanities community appreciates last year's increase of $3.6 million and urges a restoration to the peak nominal funding level of $177.5 million reached in 1994."

The FY 2009 budget cuts preservation and access grants by almost 25% ($4.5 million) from the 2008 level. Challenge grants would decrease by almost 24% ($2.2 million). These grants are awarded to support humanities research infrastructure and to aid other institutions.

Churchill's testimony before the Subcommittee in 2007 noted that NEH support for projects focusing on other cultures decreased 54% between 1995 and 2000. The Subcommittee has since requested an evaluation by NEH of its international perspective.

NEH Chairman Bruce Cole testified before the Subcommittee on February 4 in support of the President's FY 2009 request for the agency.

To learn more about the organizations Churchill represents, visit Phi Beta Kappa on the Web at http://www.pbk.org and NHA at http://www.nhalliance.org.