At 10:45 am Eastern time, Rep. Peter Hoekstra *withdrew* his amendment to
cut $31,500 from the NEA.  He did so after receiving an assurance from
Rep. Ralph Regula, who chairs the House Interior Appropriations
subcommittee, that the subcommittee intends to eliminate funding for the
NEA as of FY 1998.

(You may recall that the House Republican leadership last year agreed to
eliminate NEA as of '98 and NEH as of '99.  This agreement was a deal
struck with the GOP freshmen; it does not have the force of law.)

We don't know whether Shadegg-Chenoweth-McIntosh will offer their
amendment on NEH.  So it's still worth contacting your House member, if
you haven't already done so.

Andy Finch
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AAM Government Affairs