Cultural Agencies See Boost From Bush Budget

2008 Proposal Increases Money for the Smithsonian and Arts, Humanities Endowments

Kandula's elephant habitat at the National Zoo is slated to get $9 million. (By Jahi Chikwendiu -- The Washington Post)

The federal cultural agencies and museums received solid support yesterday from the White House in the proposed budget for fiscal 2008.

The Bush administration proposed $678.4 million for the Smithsonian complex, the largest of the cultural accounts. If passed by Congress at that level, the budget would include an increase of more than $20 million for utilities, rents and salaries; $10 million for improvements to a storage facility for anthropological and art collections in Suitland; $9.9 million for planning for the National Museum of African American History and Culture; and $18 million for improvements at the National Zoo, including $9 million for the new elephant habitat.

The cultural organizations are in budget limbo -- as are other government agencies -- because the fiscal 2007 budget was not passed by both the House and the Senate. The appropriations are spelled out in a continuing resolution, an interim funding measure. If the continuing resolution becomes law, the Smithsonian would received $637 million for fiscal 2007.

Despite the uncertainty, the chairmen of the arts and humanities endowments yesterday said they were satisfied.

In the president's proposal, the National Endowment for the Arts is to get $128.4 million.

"We're pleased that the budget requests a $4 million increase for the arts endowment, which continues a steady restoration of funding for the agency," said NEA Chairman Dana Gioia.

The National Endowment for the Humanities was slated for a increase of $400,000. "The president's budget request reaffirms his long-standing support of the endowment and its 'We the People' program," said NEH Chairman Bruce Cole. The "People" initiative encourages the study and teaching of American history and culture.

A third federal agency, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, would get $271.2 million, with the lion's share going to support libraries. Yet the museum portion of the institute's budget has steadily increased in recent years, with a proposed $39.8 million for fiscal 2008. "The administration understands the essential role these institutions play in connecting people to information and ideas," said director Anne-Imelda M. Radice.

The proposals for the arts agencies are just a trickle of the $2.9 trillion package the White House announced yesterday but are essential to the Washington area because of the national museums' importance as tourist destinations and their workforce.

The administration proposed $39.3 million for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which receives funding for its operations and capital repairs. That is a slight increase over last year's proposal but an increase of $9 million over the last official budget in 2006. The increase would cover costs for the renovation of the Eisenhower Theater, which will close in May for the 16-month job.

The National Gallery of Art is slated for $116 million in the proposed budget, the same amount the president proposed last year.

The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum was relatively flat with a target of $44.9 million.