Small Gains for Cultural Programs in Bush Budget Plan

The small increases for cultural institutions and federal agencies presented yesterday in President Bush's 2007 budget request to Congress will curtail any expansion in new programs.

The modest boost will most likely offset inflation but not give enough cushion to try new things. On the other hand, none of the agencies received sizable cuts.

Supporters of arts programs were disappointed.

"The administration's recommendations significantly under-fund the arts, with the welcome exception of an increase in museum grants," said Robert Lynch, the president of Americans for the Arts, a lobbying organization. He said the Challenge America program of the National Endowment for the Arts, which aims to bring performances and arts projects to outlying communities, should not be cut. In the current year, the project received $17.5 million; the president's budget requests $14.1 million for the 2007 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. However, the request is about the same as the president's a year ago. Congress added money to the program so that it would reach more underserved areas.

Maybe it helps to have a program named after the first lady, a former librarian. The Institute of Museum and Library Services got more money for several programs. The Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian program would receive $25 million, a $1.2 million increase for the three-year-old initiative. Mrs. Bush personally asked the IMLS to take on the challenge of increasing the pool of librarians; 58 percent of current librarians will reach retirement age by 2019.

In its museum categories, the IMLS is requesting an additional $3 million for Museum Professionals for the 21st Century, a training program. Money for its African American History and Culture Act almost doubled. The proposed appropriation is $1.5 million, compared to $842,000 this year.

The administration proposed $644.4 million for the Smithsonian Institution, which traditionally gets the largest share of cultural funds. Its final appropriation this year is $615 million. The new proposal will enable the museum complex to continue renovations and repairs. On the docket for substantial overhauls are the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of American History and the National Zoo.

The Kennedy Center also has a major renovation project on its calendar. In June 2007 it will close the Eisenhower Theater for one year for a thorough overhaul. The center's request includes $20 million for capital repairs, which would cover the Eisenhower project, compared to $13 million in the current year. The president's entire request for the center in 2007 is $39 million.

The National Endowment for the Humanities has received support for its signature programs, such as "We the People." The project includes digitizing the papers of the founding presidents and preservation of resources, such as newspapers and manuscript collections. The proposed budget for the next year is $141 million, the same as the final tally for the current year.

The National Endowment for the Arts, long a target of conservatives, continues to stay in the good graces of the White House. The request for 2007 is $124.4 million, basically unchanged from 2006.

The 2007 request for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum is $43.7 million, compared to $42.1 million in fiscal 2006. The National Gallery of Art is set for $116.7 million, an increase over the current year's $111 million, but the increase will be absorbed by higher salaries, benefits and utility bills.