Richmond, Fred

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University of Rhode IslandDigitalCommons@URIStatements and Speeches (1975-1979) Education: National Endowment for the Arts andHumanities, Subject Files I (1973-1996)1975Statements and Speeches (1975-1979): Speech 04Fred RichmondFollow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/pell_neh_I_84This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Education: National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities, Subject Files I(1973-1996) at DigitalCommons@URI. It has been accepted for inclusion in Statements and Speeches (1975-1979) by an authorized administrator ofDigitalCommons@URI. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@etal.uri.edu.Recommended CitationRichmond, Fred, "Statements and Speeches (1975-1979): Speech 04" (1975). Statements and Speeches (1975-1979). Paper 7.http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/pell_neh_I_84/7THE HONORABLE FRED RICHMOND BEFORE THE JOINT MEETING OF THE HOUSE SELECT SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION .AUD THE SENATE SPECIAL SUBCOMMITTEE ON ARTS AND HUMANITIES NOVEMBER 14, 1975 Chairman Pell, Chairman Brademas, .Members of the two sub-committees, it is a privilege to be here this morning to speak in behalf of H.R. 7216 and s. 1800, which authorize the continued funding of the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities through 1980. It gives me great pride as an American to say that passage of this legislation will assure that there is music, dance and I a true cultural celebration for our Bicentennial. This is a particularly important time in our nation's history for the arts and humanities. As Lou Harris so aptly put it when he testified before the Select Subcommittee on Education in Septem-ber, we have become a post industrial society able to use our technological skills and resources to provide a standard of con-venience and comfort never before experienced in human-history. It is because we have achieved this ability to provide basic services in an industrial environment that we are now able to turn our efforts to the qualit:y: of this experience. And I can think of no greater contribution to the quality of our national life during the next ten years than an affirmation ' \ of our commitment to the arts and humanities. Many persons do not realize that symphonies, ballet, theatre, opera, museums, educational institutions and libraries are not self-supporting. It is my hope, as we move through this important decade, that we will be able to provide additional funds to the arts and hu-manities to enable them to function at an appropriate level. This is why the National Endowments are so important. I am particularly pl~a§ed to see that H.R. 7216 contains a provision to increase Federal aid to museums. As a trustee of the Brooklyn Museum, I am well aware of the importance of recog-nizing the unique contribution that museums make to our cultural heritage. The American people must, I believe, be encouraged, privately and individually, to help contribute to the continued vitality of our arts and humanities.< If the public only knew there may be $20 or $30 in costs behind the $8.50 they see printed on their symphony box seat, I believe they would be willing to make a greater personal commitment. For this reason I have introduced a bill, H.R. 8~~4, to in-crease public support for our creative heritage. H.R. 8~~4 seeks to utilize federal income tax returns to permit taxpayers to contribute to the National Endowments. The bill provides space on the first page of your federal income tax form for contributiorato the NEA and the NEH, which would be made , \ -3-in addition to tax payments or in lieu of tax refunds, and of course would be tax deductible. This check-off is similar to that which appears on your tax form now for contributions to Presidential campaigns. The funds raised by this check-off would be used for direct subsidies to organizations and community groups across the nation, and not for administrative costs of the National Endowments. Fun-ding for the arts and humanities would continue to be apportioned equitably to the states, taking into account individual art forms and cultural differences. Philanthropists, state arts councils, city governments and others would still contribute to the Arts and Humanities only now there would be a mechanism to make up the deficit which these cbntributors cannot cover. In a sense this bill is a free ad-vertising campaign to solicit funds from 80.7 million taxpayers. This bill would not use government money; it would complement what the members of your two subcommittees are able to provide. Support among the general public for such a subsidy is widespread. The recent Harris poll called "Americans and the Arts" predicted that Arts check-off could produce more than one billion dollars. According to the survey, 64% of the adult public would be willing to pay an additional $5 a year for support of the arts and cultural facilities; 47% would be willing to pay an additional $25 a year; 36% would pay an additional $50 a year. The bill has received_ widespread support in the professional community: it has been endorsed by Beverly Sills, Theodore Bikel, Thomas Hoving, George Wein, Joseph Papp, Hal Davis, John Hightower, Frederick O'Neill and others. These people share the belief that H.R. 8~~4 would help relieve the intense financial struggle of our arts and cultural institutions. The bill has also received the supports of arts labor or-ganizations, college presidents, and those in the field of higher education who understand what this influx of money in the form of grants and new programs could do to revitalize our ailing in-stitutions of higher learning. I am tremendously pl~Cl._?ed that yourtwo subcommittees are considering two bills that continue our Federal commitment to the arts and humanities, and provide for at. least 4 more years of this vital contribution. It is my hope that eventually we will be able to have the benefit of additional public contributions in the form of tax check-offs. I believe the American people are ready and willing to make such a contribution. And I believe that your efforts here with H.R. 7216 and S. 1800 will help guide the way for the American people. For, in the end, it is up to each and every one of us to help keep alive the rich strain of creativity that is part of being an American. 

Statements and Speeches (1975-1979): Speech 04

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Statements and Speeches (1975-1979): Speech 04

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