This informative message about the looming US Government shutdown likely beginning on Saturday, Sept 30, comes from Nina Tunceli, Executive Director of Americans for the Arts Action Fund:
Below are some federal policy updates as a federal shutdown looms:
Federal Government Shutdown Inevitable
The federal government's fiscal year ends on Saturday, September 30, 2023, and there does not appear to be a deal yet by House Republicans to keep the federal government open with a temporary Continuing Resolution (CR). The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a detailed plan this week of how every federal agency will operate and slow down during a shutdown. This week, the Arts Action Fund presented its first virtual Arts Insider Political Briefing to its members and you can watch this timely 35-minute video focusing on prospects of the federal shutdown and its impact on the nation by political experts.
Harmful House State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Amendments Target the Arts
Two very harmful arts-related House floor amendments have been offered to the FY'24 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill being debated on the floor today. These amendments would make severe cuts to all arts and cultural diplomacy, embassy, and educational exchange programs at the U.S. Department of State. Americans for the Arts has reached out to Congressional offices encouraging them to vote NO on Amendment #145 offered by Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) that would zero-out all funding for the State Department's highly effective diplomatic Art in Embassies program. We have also encouraged House members to vote NO on Amendment #133 offered by Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) that would make a 10 percent cut to the cultural diplomacy and artist exchange programs in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
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