Federal funding: your summer homework with elected officials

July 8, 2016

Given that this is an election year, the House and Senate are taking a long summer recess (PDF), which makes the prospects uncertain for the federal budget to be completed. Bills that are of importance to the orchestra community are on the move, and here is the latest on where things stand for:

• Cultural Exchange: The House Subcommittee has recommended $112 million in FY17 for the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Citizen Exchanges, which administers arts, sports, youth, and other exchanges. The Senate is further along in its process, with the Appropriations Committee having just approved $107.69 million, a more modest increase above the FY16 level. In its report language accompanying the funding recommendation, Senate Appropriators made special mention of youth orchestras:
  
  Citizen Exchange Programs-The Committee encourages the Secretary of State to support, from funds provided for Citizen Exchange programs, exchanges for youth orchestra and other musical ensembles administered by the Youth Programs Division in coordination with the Cultural Programs Division.