madam chairman , i come to the floor today in strong support of slaughter amendment to the fy06 interior appropriations act that will increase funding for the national endowment of the arts by $ 10 million and for the national endowment for the humanities by $ 5 million . 
even with these increases , the funding level for the nea will still be $ 40 million below the fy 1994 level , and the funding level for the neh will be $ 30 million below the fy 1994 level . 
this amendment is needed to continue the critical work of the nea and the neh in providing americans with access to the arts , and an understanding of american culture , legacy , history , and civics . 
by funding the arts and humanities in every congressional district and giving priority to rural and underserved communities , the nea and the neh ensure that americans across the country can discover and share these treasures while instilling a sense of historical and cultural heritage in their children . 
these funding increases will help ensure that future generations continue to have the opportunity to explore the creative worlds of arts and humanities . 
in addition to providing important cultural experiences nationwide , the nea and the neh also support economic growth and tourism nationwide . 
the non-profit arts industry generates $ 134 billion in economic activity , supporting $ 4.85 million full time equivalent positions . 
in my district there are 1 , 801 arts related businesses which employ 5 , 370 employees . 
many of these businesses receive grants from the nea and play crucial roles in increasing tourism in my district . 
events like the monterey jazz festival and the cabrillo music festival bring tourists to my district to enjoy these cultural experiences , and our local businesses directly benefit from this influx . 
i urge all of my colleagues to support increases in funding for the nea and the neh and to oppose any proposal to cut these valuable programs . 
