Simpson Remarks at FY25 Budget Request For The Arts and Humanities (As Prepared)
Good afternoon and welcome Kaywin Feldman, Director of the National Gallery of Art, Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson, Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, and Shelly Lowe, Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Thank you for being here to discuss the budget priorities for your agencies for Fiscal Year 2025.
Preserving our culture, art, and history is essential to protecting the legacy of our nation and preparing us for the future. The National Gallery of Art is one of the most renowned – and visited – institutions tasked with this responsibility.
Each year, millions of visitors, both in-person and online, access your collections. Through your exhibitions, educational, and outreach programs, you encourage children and scholars across the world to discover new knowledge, experience art, and explore the world around them.
NEA and NEH are tasked with a similar responsibility, bringing incredible opportunities through art, history, and education to rural communities.
Whether its healing through the arts, arts education, research on artificial intelligence, or promoting historical research amongst middle school and high school students in preparation of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, I’ve seen firsthand the impact that NEA and NEH dollars have had in my district in Idaho.
For FY25, the President is requesting $215 million for the National Gallery, $210 million for the National Endowment for the Arts, and $200 million for the National Endowment for the Humanities.
I appreciate the opportunity to understand how the budget supports your agencies’ priorities and reasonably builds on the investments Congress made in FY24.
We must ensure that the Gallery’s facilities are protected to reduce risks to the collections, visitors, and employees, and that we continue to support NEA and NEH efforts to expand access to the arts and humanities to all Americans.
I look forward to our discussion and appreciate you all being here. Now I yield to Ranking Member Pingree for a brief statement.
