The latest economic relief package from House Democrats includes $20 million in funding for arts and humanities foundations.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduced a $3 trillion economic relief package called the HEROES Act on Tuesday to address the financial shortfall triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. If the legislation passes, foundations for the arts and humanities will receive $20 million to manage operational expenses during the pandemic.
The National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts would each receive $10 million to fund “general operations.” The legislation also waives matching requirements for the two foundations when distributing grants.
The two endowments both already received $75 million each in the CARES Act, which was the $2.2 trillion economic relief package passed in March.
House Democrats were criticized for providing funding to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Their original legislation requested $35 million for the center. The final legislation granted the center $25 million. The Kennedy Center was not mentioned in the HEROES Act.
The HEROES Act is a $3 trillion funding package that includes $1 trillion for state governments facing revenue shortfalls, $200 billion in hazard pay for healthcare and grocery workers, and a $25 billion bailout for the U.S. Postal Service. The legislation also includes another round of $1,200 stimulus checks to most citizens.
The House is set to vote on the legislation on Friday, but the Senate has already brushed off the HEROES Act, making it doubtful that the legislation will become law. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the legislation was “not something designed to deal with reality.”
