The House Appropriations Committee ignored the White House's recommendation to dramatically slash the budget for arts endowments, Roll Call reports.
The committee recently approved the fiscal year 2018 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill, which if passed would provide $31.4 billion to the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Forest Service, and the Indian Health Service, among others.
Although this budget is $824 million less than the one given in the 2017 fiscal year, it's $4.3 billion more than President Donald Trump's budget request.
One particular deviation from Trump's request is the $145 million provided to the National Endowment for the Arts, $116 million more than he asked for, though still a 3.2 percent reduction from last year. The National Endowment for the Humanities will receive $145 million, $103.7 more than was requested.
"While I'm pleased that House Republicans didn't follow President Trump's lead in eliminating these critical cultural institutions, I am disappointed that they decided to cut them by $10 million," Minnesota Democratic Rep. Betty McCollum, the ranking member on the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, said to Roll Call through an aide.
"The NEA and the NEH provide support in communities large and small, stimulating regional economies, promoting innovation and creativity, assisting students, and serving our veterans," she added.
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