Action Alerts
10/7/08: Approval of the IRA Rollover Extension
On Friday, October 3rd, Congress approved a two-year extension of the IRA Charitable Rollover Provision, part of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act. The Rollover is a tax incentive that allows individuals who are 70 and a half years of age and older to contribute up to $100,000 from their Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA) and Roth IRAs to charities, increasing donations to the nation's nonprofit community.
ACTION: Contact your Representative and Senators and thank them for reinstating the IRA Rollover. Click here to see the Performing Arts Alliance Webpage, an Action Alert on the issue, and to access a sample letter.
6/10/08: IRA Rollover
Arts organizations have received increased and new donations as a result of the IRA Charitable Rollover which allowed donors to make tax-free charitable contributions directly from their Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA). This provision expired in December 2007 and your advocacy can help convince Congress to reinstate this important measure during this short, election-year legislative session.
ACTION: Contact your Representative or Senators to request reinstate the IRA Rollover. Click here to see the Performing Arts Alliance Webpage, an Action Alert on this issue, and to access a sample letter.
6/10/08: Protect Wireless Microphones
The FCC’s introduction of new wireless devices in radio frequencies currently used for wireless microphone and related audio equipment could have a negative impact on our communities, performers, and audiences.
ACTION: Ask your Representative and Senators to oppose legislation that would allow unlicensed devices to threaten wireless microphones used in theaters and nonprofit performance venues. Click here to see the Performing Arts Alliance Webpage, an Action Alert on this issue, and to access a sample letter.
6/10/08: Increase Funding for International Cultural Exchange
The State Department’s Cultural Programs Division is the principal office focused on cultural diplomacy. An increased appropriation would expand the State Department’s ability to foster mutual understanding between the United States and other countries through personal, professional, and institutional ties between private citizens and organizations in the United States and abroad.
ACTION: Ask your Representative and Senators to support increased funding for cultural exchange programs at the U.S. Department of State. Click here to see the Performing Arts Alliance Webpage, an Action Alert on this issue, and to access a sample letter.
6/10/08: Strengthen Arts Education in No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
Despite overwhelming public support for arts education, school systems are focusing largely on reading and math at the expense of arts education and other core subjects of learning.
ACTION: Ask your Representative and Senators to support strengthening arts education in the 2001 No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. Click here to see the Performing Arts Alliance Webpage, an Action Alert on this issue, and to access a sample letter.
6/10/08: Support an Increase in Arts in Education Funding
The U.S. Department of Education’s Arts in Education programs provide federal support to performing arts organizations for the development, evaluation and dissemination of model programs that integrate arts instruction into other subject areas. With increased funding, the Arts in Education programs will support and disseminate newly emerging models in high-poverty schools that improve arts learning.
ACTION: Ask your Representative and Senators to support an appropriation of $53 million for the Arts in Education programs in the FY09 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill. Click here to see the Performing Arts Alliance Webpage, an Action Alert on this issue, and to access a sample letter.
6/10/08: Improve Visa Processing for Foreign Guest Artists
American nonprofit performing arts organizations provide an important public service by presenting foreign guest artists in performances, educational events and cultural programs in communities across the country. Delays by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) are making it increasingly difficult for international artists to appear in the United States. Nonprofit performing arts organizations confront long waits and uncertainty in gaining approval for visa petitions for foreign guest artists.
ACTION: Ask your Representative and Senators to support legislation that will improve the visa process for foreign guest artists. Click here to see the Performing Arts Alliance Webpage, an Action Alert on this issue, and to access a sample letter.
6/10/08: Increase for National Endowment for the Arts
The NEA provides critical federal funding for performing arts organizations, encourages artistic achievement, and brings the performing arts to Americans in every corner of the country. Direct grants to performing arts organizations--and NEA support allocated through state arts agencies--expand public access to performances, preserve great classical works, and nurture the creative endeavors of performing artists nationwide.
ACTION: Please take a moment to write your Senators and Representative and ask them to increase funding for the NEA. Click here to see the Performing Arts Alliance Webpage, an Action Alert on this issue, and to access a sample letter.
4/22/08: IRA Charitable Rollover Provision
In August 2006 the Pension Protection Act authorized several charitable incentives designed to support important charitable works in communities throughout the country. In December 2007 the IRA Charitable Rollover provision expired, no longer enabling persons of 70 1/2 years and older to contribute to charity out of their individual retirement accounts without suffering adverse tax consequences. Please support passage of the IRA Charitable Rollover provision before the end of this year.
ACTION: The IRA Charitable Rollover will increase donations to the nation's nonprofit performing arts organizations. Ask your Senators to support legislation that will reinstate this important charitable giving incentive. Click here to see the Performing Arts Alliance webpage, the Action Alert on this issue, and to access a sample letter.
4/1/08: House Approves Artist Visa Act
The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to improve the artist visa process. The legislation would require the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to treat as a Premium Processing case, free of any additional charge, any arts-related O and P visa petition that it fails to process within 30 days. The “Arts Require Timely Service (ARTS) Act” (HR 1312) is sponsored by Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA) and 10 other bipartisan leaders, and would improve the reliability, efficiency and affordability of the artist visa process. The next step is for the legislation to be approved by the U.S. Senate.
ACTION: Keep your eyes open for a possible request in the near future to show support through sending letters. Click here to see the Performing Arts Alliance webpage.
1/2/08: Congress Approves Historic NEA Increase
NEA funding will grow by $20.3 million in FY08, the largest single increase for the agency since 1979, bringing the total support for the agency to $144.7 million. Congress passed the increase in an end-of-year Omnibus Bill, which the President signed on December 26. This increase in NEA funding reflects years of advocacy since the agency's budget was severely cut in 1995.
ACTION: Please take a moment to thank your Member of Congress for this important increase! Congressional Arts Caucus co-chairs Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Rep. Chris Shays (R-CT) along with Interior Appropriations Sub-Committee Chairman Rep. Norm Dicks (D-WA) deserve special thanks. Click here to see the Performing Arts Alliance webpage, the Action Alert on this issue, and to access a sample letter.
7/31/07: FCC Rulemaking May Threaten Performing Arts Wireless Microphones
The FCC is under pressure to approve new wireless devices to operate in the
so-called "White Spaces." These are the same wireless frequencies used by wireless
microphones in our theatres and could jeopardize your system. This issue is the
most serious technology issue the American arts community has faced in the last
30 years. The FCC could act in early November on this issue.
ACTION: If your theatre has not yet filed comments with the FCC, please visit
the Performing American Arts Alliance website for more information.
6/29/07: The House Approves a $35 Million Funding Increase for the NEA
The House of Representatives has approved a $35 million increase in funding for the NEA for FY08. This is the largest single increase in NEA history and represents a significant restoration of funding for the NEA.
ACTION: Please take a moment to thank NEA champions, Reps. Dicks, Slaughter, and Shays. Please also take a moment to express disappointment in Reps. Bishop, Brown-Waite, and Lamborn who offered anti-NEA amendments. Click here to link the the Performing Arts Alliance and to find out how to contact specific House Representatives.
6/20/07: Ask your Senator to Support a Larger Increase in NEA Funding
Despite incremental increases in funding, the NEA has never recovered from a 40% cut in FY96. The House Appropriations Committee has approved a $35 million increase for the NEA funding for a total FY08 appropriation of $160 million. The Senate Appropriations Committee has only approved a $9 million increase.
ACTION: Click here to see the Performing Arts Alliance webpage, the Action Alert on this issue, and to ask your Senator to support a larger increase in NEA Funding.
6/13/07: Tell the House to Support an Increase in NEA Funding
In partnership with other arts advocates nationwide, the Performing Arts Alliance is asking Congress to vote in favor of an increase in NEA funds and oppose any amendments which would decrease funding. The $35 million increase in funding for FY08, already approved by the House Appropriations Committee, would substantially restore grant dollars available to support the creation, preservation, and presentation of the arts in America.
ACTION: Please contact your Representative and ask him/her to support the $35 million funding increase for the NEA when the spending bill comes to the House floor. Click here to see the Performing Arts Alliance webpage, the Action Alert on this issue, and to access a sample letter.
5/23/07: House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee Approves $35 Million Increase In NEA Funding
During theMay 23rdmark-up of the FY 2008 Interior Appropriations bill, the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee approved a budget of$160 million for the National Endowment for the Arts – a $35 million increase over FY 2007 funding, a phenomenal show of support for the arts.
ACTION: Please take a moment to thank the members of the Interior Appropriations Committee for supporting federal funding for the arts. Click here to see the Performing Arts Alliance webpage and their May 2007 Advocacy Report.
5/14/07: Tell Congress to Increase NEA Funding
In February, President Bush asked for a budget of $128.4 for the NEA for FY 2008 - only a $4 million increase for FY 2007 funding. The United States House of Representatives Interior Appropriations Subcommittee is expected to begin mark-up of the FY 2008 Interior Appropriations bill, which includes funding for the NEA, as early as May 16.
ACTION: Please contact your member of Congress and ask him or her to support increased funding for the NEA. Click here to see the Performing Arts Alliance webpage, the Action Alert on this issue, and to access a sample letter to your Congressperson.
4/11/07: Circulating NEA and Arts Education Letters
President Bush has asked for a $4 million increase for the NEA and zero funding for the Arts in Education programs at the US Department of Education. With no additional funding, inflation will cut into the NEA's ability to make grants to performing arts organizations and the Department of Education will be unable to make a second round of Arts in Education grants. The Congressional Arts Caucus is circulating two Dear Colleague letters in support of increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and increased funding for the Arts in Education programs at the U.S. Department of Education.
ACTION: Please take a moment to write to your Representative and ask him or herto sign the Arts Caucus Dear Colleague letters. Click here to see the Performing Arts Alliance webpage.
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3/09/07: Celebrate Arts Advocacy Day
Tuesday, March 13th is Arts Advocacy Day! Arts advocates from around the country will be descending on Capitol Hill to tell Congress to support the arts.
ACTION: Please contact your Representative and Senators and urge them to support the issues you care about in honor of Arts Advocacy Day 2007. Click here to see the Performing Arts Alliance webpage, the Action Alert on this issue, and to access a sample letter.
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2/15/07: USCIS Proposes an Increase in Visa Processing Fees
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a proposed increase in visa processing fees for O and P visas. This proposed rule would increase the Form I-129 filing fee (from $190 to $320) and the Form I-824 filing fee (from $200 to $340). These new fees would increase the financial burden U.S. nonprofit performing arts petitioners already suffer when booking foreign guest artists.
ACTION: Please write to the Director of Regulatory Management Division USCIS to express your opposition to this proposal! Click here to see the Performing Arts Alliance webpage, the PAA Brief, and to access a sample letter.
Archives
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