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Increase of funds for NEA defeated in House

   Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives stopped an effort to increase federal monies for the controversial National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), causing pro-family groups to celebrate a rare victory on that front in the culture wars.

Patrick Trueman, AFA director of governmental affairs, said, "House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, in particular, and other members of the Republican leadership deserve the heartfelt thanks of the pro-family movement today for outmaneuvering NEA proponents."

The NEA annually generates public outrage for giving to organizations that promote religious bigotry and pornography. While some defend the agency by suggesting it has "cleaned up its act," Trueman noted that the NEA has a "pattern" of giving to organizations that offend the majority of the public.

"Why else would the NEA continue to give to Women Make Movies (WMM), Inc., which produces and distributes hard-core pornographic videos?" he asked.

In 1996 and 1997, Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-MI), Chairman of the Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, which has jurisdiction over the NEA, criticized the agency for funding WMM. At the time, Hoekstra noted that the NEA gave more than $100,000 over a three year period to WMM, which subsidized the distribution of films like Sex Fish, Watermelon Woman, and Blood Sisters. Those films included depictions of explicit lesbian pornography, oral sex, and sadomasochism.

Yet, Trueman noted, WMM has continued to receive NEA grants until at least 1999, the last full year of funding by the agency. Several other organizations which also generated controversy for the NEA in the past continue to be funded. "If the NEA was serious about changing its public image, it would change its pattern of giving to groups that outrage the public," he said.

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