Current MENC Government Relations Strategy and Specifics Breakdown
View MENC’s government relations and advocacy agenda. This “living” document details MENC’s plan for achieving policy and legislative goals on behalf of music education, and offers a brief synopsis of our most up-to-date government relations and advocacy action plan. View the agenda here.
Additionally, reference the collaboratively developed “Strengthen Arts Education in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act: Legislative Recommendations” document for a more specific breakdown of MENC’s joint legislative efforts in conjunction with our arts in education community partners.
Special To The Legislative Memo
MENC National Board Members Attend Capitol Hill Round-Up Session, Hear from Various Members of the Arts in Education Community
On June 13, the MENC National Board took part in an "MENC Capitol Hill Round-Up" session designed to provide board members with an intimate look into the world of music education public policy and advocacy development. Also in attendance at the session were several state and local representatives from the Mrs. America organization. Through a partnership with MENC, Mrs. America representatives continue to advocate in their home communities on behalf of music education.
The Round-Up, which took place in the Cannon House Office Building, began with a catered breakfast, held in conjunction with a half-hour introductory review segment hosted by Director of Government Relations Chris Woodside. The review session helped to provide board members with a point-by-point overview of MENC's current legislative and advocacy agenda, as well as to offer an update on the overall progress that the organization has achieved in those areas over the course of the past year.
After the conclusion of the review, the Round-Up played host to a two hour speaker series featuring a variety of guests hailing from a diverse backdrop of arts in education organizations, government institutions and congressional offices. Speakers addressed a variety of issues prominently on the minds of music education advocates, including but not limited to, the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the future federal role of arts education in America, and their own personal work in the field. Board members were afforded the opportunity to ask the guests follow-up questions pertaining to the topics discussed. The Round-Up concluded with a catered lunch.
Speakers at the MENC Capitol Hill Round-Up session included Doug Herbert, special assistant in the Office for Innovation Improvement in the U.S. Department of Education; Mary Crovo, deputy director of the National Assessment Governing Board; Claus Von Zastrow, executive director of the Learning First Alliance; Amanda Rogers Thorpe, appropriations legislative assistant for Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger; Daniel Beattie, arts education division administrator for the National Endowment for the Arts; Susan Sweat, Mrs. District of Columbia and legislative director for Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, and Nina Ozlu, chief counsel for Americans for the Arts.
Federal News
Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Process … Where Do We Stand?
Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a $153.1 billion spending bill designed to fund the Labor, HHS and Education departments for the fiscal year of 2009. The House Appropriations Committee did not fare nearly as well, adjourning on Thursday without having reached a consensus on spending after Democrats forcefully accused Republicans of playing political games at the expense of progress.
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Dave Obey (D-WI) appeared furious with Republican members who he claimed had attempted to inappropriately include an amendment designed to expand domestic oil production into the Labor-HHS appropriations process as both sides worked feverishly towards completion of the measure. Mr. Obey called the move a “political stunt,” and threatened to halt the appropriations deliberation entirely.
Tempers had flared almost immediately after the meeting was called to order, with Representative Jerry Lewis (R-CA), the panel’s senior Republican, beginning the proceedings by asking Obey to confirm that he would bring the Interior spending bill up for a vote after Congress’ July Fourth recess.
Mr. Obey declined the request, and instead brought up the Labor-HHS-Education measure for debate. At that time, Mr. Lewis stood and offered an amendment to strip the language entirely from the Labor-HHS-Education bill and replace it with the Interior spending bill.
Representative John E. Peterson (R-PA) tried to offer an amendment to Mr. Lewis’ amendment, and at that time, Chairman of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee Norm Dicks (D-WA) made a motion to adjourn. Mr. Obey then called for a voice vote, and when it had succeeded, he declared the meeting adjourned. Republicans responded by issuing a roll-call vote; the motion was successful, and the meeting concluded without resolution.
Earlier this month, the House’s passage of a new congressional budget resolution officially marked the beginning of the FY 2009 appropriations season. This year, the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee approved a $15.3 million spending increase for the NEA in its FY09 bill.
Chairman Dicks, a longtime staunch supporter of the arts, once again proposed an increase in funding for arts in education programs in FY09 in the face of dramatic cuts sought by the President. Currently funded at $144.7 million, Mr. Dicks’ increase would adjust the agency's total budget to $160 million. President Bush has requested a cut of $128 million for the NEA in FY09. After work on the FY 2009 Labor-HHS-Education bill has completed in committee, the legislation will then head to the House floor for final consideration. Full votes on the appropriations language in the House and Senate, however, are a long shot at best this summer.
Recent Arts in Education News Clippings:
· Venezuelan ‘System’ brings classics to the barrios
· An Unfinished Canvas
· ‘Great Art of Our Nation’ Arriving at Public Schools
· LA arts high school brings prestige, but high cost
· Diplomas Count 2008: School to College
No Child Left Behind
Recent NCLB News Clippings:
· Has Student Achievement Increased Since 2002? State Test Score Trends Through 2006-07 (Look for more information on this report upcoming in The Recorder)
You Should Know …
… The Power of Music … Changing Lives advocacy brochure series is now available for download in PDF format on MENC’s new web site!
“The Power of Music ... Changing Lives” is a series of four advocacy brochures designed for distribution to parents, school board members, elementary school principals and secondary school principals, to give those audiences “the why and the how” of supporting school music education.
Each brochure is available for download/personal printing in PDF form. Print copies are also available for purchase; visit the MENC Store or call 800-828-0229.
State News
New Arts Advocacy Toolkit Now Available to California Music Educators
Monterey County Superintendent of Schools’ Dr. Nancy Kotowski recently announced the Monterey County Office of Education’s launch of a brand new California Arts Advocacy Toolkit. The Toolkit has been designed as a vehicle for all schools statewide to advocate for a comprehensive and standards-based arts education in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts for California students in kindergarten through high school.
Complete with a public service announcement by Dina Ruiz Eastwood (Mrs. Clint Eastwood), background information on the importance of arts in education and sample templates to promote awareness and advocate for the arts, the California Arts Advocacy Toolkit can also be used by district leaders, county offices of education, parents, teachers, state-policy makers, and community members.
For your own copy of the California Arts Advocacy Toolkit, visit www.CaliforniaArtsToolkit.com or contact Hamish Tyler at 831-784-4192. For more information about the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association’s Arts Initiative, visit www.ccsesaarts.org.
Take Action
Congressional Budget Resolution Passes House … Fight for Arts Funding Begins Anew!
Recently, the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee approved a $15.3 million increase for the NEA in its FY 2009 spending bill to officially begin the new appropriations process. Congress is now deliberating education funding in both chambers.
Currently funded at $144.7 million, this NEA increase would adjust the agency's budget to $160 million. President Bush has requested a cut of $128 million for the NEA in FY09 from the current $144.7 million level. On Arts Advocacy Day, a panel of celebrity witnesses gathered before Chairman Dicks' Appropriations Subcommittee to call for a significant increase in funding for the NEA. Witnesses included actor/director Robert Redford, musician John Legend, and actor Kerry Washington.
Your help is needed to defend against future floor amendments attempting to cut this increase. Additionally, we must put pressure on the Senate to match this increased funding level and to support maximized funding for ALL arts in education programs in FY09 as the budget moves forward. Please take a moment to visit www.congress.org, identify your members of Congress – and share with them your support, in your own words, for increased funding for the arts.
Thank you for your continued support of music education.
Congressional Corner
Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Senator Menendez was appointed to the Senate in January 2006 by newly elected Governor Jon Corzine to fill the vacancy made by Corzine’s resignation from the position, Menendez won the Senate election later that year. From 1993 to 2006, Senator Menendez served in the U.S. House of Representatives representing New Jersey’s 13th district as the first member of a minority to represent New Jersey in the Senate.
Senator Menendez serves on the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, Budget Committee, Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee.
Senator Menendez on the value of music education:
“New Jersey is known for its rich musical history—fostering such greats as Count Basie, Sarah Vaughn, Frankie Valli, Frank Sinatra, Lauryn Hill, Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen. Growing up in such a musically inclined state, I have seen how music can entertain millions, connect generations, and inspire our spirits. Perhaps music’s greatest purpose, however, is to teach our children and enhance their lives. Music education is vital to a well-rounded experience in our schools, and has been shown to cultivate a sense of discipline that spills over to other academic fields and to create a sense of community that is irreplaceable. We owe it to our children to ensure that they receive a vibrant education, completed and enhanced by music.”