madam chairman , let me share with you two recent experiences that confirm why we should support the slaughter-shays-dicks-leach-price amendment to increase funding for the national endowment for the arts . 
a few weeks ago , i had the privilege of joining nea chairman dana gioa at the folger theater to help judge young high school students in a poetry recitation contest . 
as one of the judges , i had to pick a winner , but i can tell you there were no losers . 
it was plainly evident all were winners . 
each student provided a masterful performance , had presence and demonstrated a clear and impassioned understanding of the work he or she presented from some of the english language 's best poets . 
& lt ; center & gt ; & lt ; pre & gt ; [ page : h3618 ] & lt ; /pre & gt ; & lt ; /center & gt ; it was a memorable evening . 
but as much as i enjoyed it , i know it left an even stronger impression on the student and the families and friends who joined them . 
that evening at the folger theater brought us all to a common point of a shared experience where barriers and pretenses were cast aside and humanity and understanding prevailed . 
last week i had a conversation with a retired school teacher who volunteers as a docent providing school tours at the national gallery of art . 
she was upset because of a decision by the gallery to suspend the volunteer-led tours for a year while a new program is developed . 
it did n't make sense to me and i agreed to help . 
during our talk , she mentioned how art at the gallery had touched a young student she had led . 
he was a recent immigrant who had come from a very troubled land . 
his english was limited and broken but he was able to say to her that the tour had helped calm his inner turmoil and as he put it , `` helped make some of the hurt go away. '' art touches people in ways words can not describe . 
the dividend this nation receives from the endowment for the arts far exceeds the investment we make with the limited federal funds . 
in virginia , the wolf trap performing arts center has received nea grants for their nationally recognized artistic and education programs . 
in addition to year-round performances , wolf trap offers a variety of education programs both locally and nationwide . 
its primary education program , the wolf trap institute for early learning through the arts , places professional performing artists in preschool classrooms nationwide . 
in classroom residencies , these artists use drama , music and movement to teach basic skills and encourage active participation and self-esteem in the earliest stages of learning . 
wolf trap institute artists also conducts workshops and presentations throughout the country to demonstrate to teachers and parents how the arts can bring new life to learning and literature . 
as we fight for education funding and standards , how can we look past the significant contribution that performing arts organizations like wolf trap are making across the country ? 
this is a time when we must embrace this type of unique programming . 
a modest increase in funding for the arts and humanities can make a difference creating new opportunities for hundreds of arts and humanities organizations and bringing the organizations out into the communities . 
when the nea budget has been cut , we have seen its dramatic effect on the national arts community and specifically on arts education programs developing at community centers and in our schools . 
now is the time when we must invest in the cultural lives of our citizens and in our children 's futures . 
i can not fathom how a nation as rich and prosperous as ours could not find it in its heart to provide a $ 15 million increase , $ 10 million for the national endowment for the arts and $ 5 million for the national endowment for the humanities . 
we could eliminate all funding for the endowments tomorrow , and the arts and humanities would survive . 
that 's not the issue . 
the grants nea provides do n't make or break most theater productions , studio exhibitions or symphonic performances . 
what nea does with its grants is to ensure that these performances , exhibits and productions are introduced to a greater share of america . 
support the arts , support the nea and the neh , support the slaugher-shays-dicks-leach-price amendment . 
