HR82-119

What This Bill Does

This bill would prohibit the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) from using any of its funding to carry out its core functions as established under Section 7 of the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965. Since Section 7 (20 U.S.C. 956) is the statutory authority that creates the NEH and authorizes all its grant-making programs, this bill would effectively defund the agency's entire operation.

Who Benefits and How

Taxpayers seeking reduced federal spending would see the elimination of the NEH's annual appropriation (approximately $180 million per year), which could be redirected to other purposes or reduce the federal budget. Those philosophically opposed to federal arts and humanities funding would achieve a long-standing policy goal of ending what they view as unnecessary government involvement in cultural affairs.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The National Endowment for the Humanities would lose its ability to function, as Section 7 authorizes its chairperson position, grant programs, and operations. State humanities councils in all 50 states would lose federal matching grants that support local programming. Universities, museums, libraries, and scholars would lose access to competitive grants for research, education, and public humanities programs. The general public would lose access to NEH-funded documentaries, exhibitions, preservation projects, and educational initiatives.

Key Provisions

• Prohibits any NEH funds from being used to carry out Section 7 of the 1965 Act, which establishes the agency's core statutory authority
• Applies to all fiscal years going forward, creating a permanent funding prohibition
• Takes effect on the first day of the first fiscal year following enactment, giving time for transition
• Does not formally abolish the NEH but makes it unable to perform any authorized functions