"For many years, under the wise guidance and leadership of Congressman Sidney Yates, Congress understood the cultural and economic importance of federal funding for the arts, as well as the dire need to protect our environment and natural resources.  Unfortunately, this Republican funding bill gets an F for failing to deliver to the American people the environmental protection and the commitment to the arts that they demand and deserve," Schakowsky said.

Earlier this month, the House of Representatives passed a motion to instruct conferees on the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee to accept the higher Senate funding level for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) at $103 million.  But the final version of the bill included only  $98 million for the NEA, far below the President's request

The conference report also contains anti-environmental riders, including unrestricted dumping of toxic mining wastes on sites larger than five acres and a one-year moratorium on regulations to improve environmental compliance in the operation of hardrock mines.  The bill also includes language that guarantees the underpayment of royalties by oil companies using federal land, which costs the taxpayers millions of dollars a year in lost revenues.