Chellie Pingree

Ms. PINGREE

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I oppose this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I oppose this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, as my colleague well knows, the Federal Government has a special trust responsibility and legal obligation to provide quality healthcare to American Indians and Alaska Natives. Unfortunately, we have fallen short of providing the funding that is required to overcome the staggering health disparities and address the health crisis in Indian Country. Healthcare is provided to sovereign and independent nations, and we have no right to discriminate against or dictate the health services they choose to provide. I am disappointed that my colleague would want to prohibit funding for any healthcare service to American Indians and Alaska Natives because of his own partisan agenda. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, the National Endowment for the Arts is the Federal agency that funds, promotes, and strengthens the creative capacity of our communities by providing all Americans with diverse opportunities for arts participation. This small but mighty agency supports arts organizations and artists in every congressional district in the country and these investments yield enormous economic benefits. This amendment would cut the NEA by nearly one-third. That would result in a reduction of an estimated 900 awards. These funds are one- to-one cost-share matched, which means that funding from 56 State and jurisdictional art agencies and 6 regional arts organizations would also be cut by nearly one-third. That would be a reduction of roughly $20 million. This means that there would be nearly one-third cuts across the board to each and every State art agency. The arts have an incredible value as a positive tool for economic development, education, and community building, and deeply cutting this important agency would cause catastrophic harm. Mr. Chair, I oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson), chairman of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, this amendment is incredibly destructive. It would result in a cut to services for active military and veterans by nearly one-third. The NEA has recently expanded its Creative Forces program outside of clinical settings into communities across the country. This would be a huge setback. In addition to expanding Creative Forces since FY19, the NEA has increased its engagement in rural communities through additional investment in Citizens' Institute on Rural Design, as well as Tribal communities and Tribes, and these would all suffer. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Ms. PINGREE. This misguided amendment would significantly hinder support for high-quality projects and programs that reach every State and territory and benefit millions of Americans. The NEH is a unique source of funding for a wide range of local, nonprofit institutions and organizations across the country. These grants strengthen teaching and learning in schools and colleges; facilitate research and original scholarship; provide opportunities for lifelong learning; preserve and provide access to cultural and educational resources; and strengthen the institutional base of the humanities. NEH grants are sound investments in our communities. These awards stimulate significant financial participation and commitment by local and private partners. We should be doing more for the NEH, not less. Mr. Chair, I oppose this amendment. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson), chairman of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for scholars is the official memorial to President Wilson and a nonpartisan forum for tackling global issues through independent research and open dialogue. In a divisive world, we need more opportunities to listen to and have dialogue with others who may not share our point of view. The Wilson Center is a great resource for policymakers as they confront today's challenges. I am disappointed my colleague would want to eliminate funding for this important institution. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, one of our greatest strengths as a Nation is our diversity. The American experience is not a singular experience, and diversity programs exist to recognize this. The fact is, and many business leaders agree, that having a diverse and inclusive culture in the workplace is critical to performance. Attempting to defund or block the implementation of these efforts only takes us back in time where our Nation's diversity was not seen as an asset. Mr. Chair, I oppose this amendment, encourage my colleagues to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.