July 11, 2014
CONTACT: Barry Toiv, [email protected], 202-408-7500
Following is a statement by Hunter Rawlings, President of the Association of American Universities (AAU), on the deep cut proposed for the National Endowment for the Humanities in the FY15 appropriations bill approved July 9 by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies.
AAU strongly opposes the deep cut in support for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) adopted by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior in its FY15 funding bill. If enacted, this $8 million cut would bring NEH funding to its lowest level, in constant dollars, since 1972.
This cut would significantly affect the agency’s capacity to conduct peer-reviewed research and develop educational programs of benefit to the nation.
The competitive humanities programs funded by NEH are important to all aspects of American society. They support the core fields of knowledge and capacities – such as our understanding of foreign languages and cultures – that enrich individuals, provide a foundation for success in a wide range of careers, undergird our civic institutions, support strategic national interests, and help advance sound public policymaking for addressing the challenges of the 21st century.
We recognize that the damaging spending caps and sequestration imposed by the Budget Control Act have put pressure on every area of discretionary spending. But NEH provides real benefits to the nation, and it is only a small part of the budget. We plan to work with House members and the Senate to restore this critical funding.
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The Association of American Universities is a nonprofit association of 60 U.S. and two Canadian preeminent public and private research universities. Founded in 1900, AAU focuses on national and institutional issues that are important to research-intensive universities, including funding for research, research and education policy, and graduate and undergraduate education. Follow us on Twitter at @AAUniversities.