madam chairman , i also would stand in support of the slaughter/shays/dicks/leach/price amendment . 
madam chairman , i rise today in strong support of the slaughter shays-dicks-price-leach amendment to increase funding for the national endowment for the arts and for the national endowment for the humanities . 
in my district in new mexico , arts and humanities are a significant part of daily life -- the name `` sante fe '' conjures up images of georgia o'keefe 's beautiful flowers and ansel adams ' breathtaking photographs . 
but arts and humanities programs are also a major employer . 
new mexico 's third congressional district has over 1 , 700 arts-related businesses that employ over 5 , 300 people . 
this includes the famed santa fe opera , the budding film industry , numerous respected museums , hundreds of art galleries , mariachi bands , arts schools , and more . 
many of these artists make use of grants through the nea and neh . 
unfortunately , nea and neh programs remain seriously underfunded due to past budget cuts . 
this modest amendment seeks to increase funding for the national endowment for the humanities ' `` we the people , '' initiative by $ 5 million , and the national endowment for the arts ' `` challenge america '' program by $ 10 million . 
in congressional terms , these amounts are a blip on the budget screen . 
but in terms of what they mean to these programs and the constituents who benefit from them , such increases are incredibly helpful , and can mean the survival of numerous arts and humanities programs around the country . 
i often hear from new mexicans who attest to the effectiveness of the we the people initiative in strengthening youth understanding and appreciation of american history and culture . 
we the people helps all of us become more aware of our past , our values , and our institutions . 
i believe this effort is crucial for the progress of our country . 
in addition to economic benefits of the arts , recent studies have shown the significant impact that arts education can have on at-risk youth . 
the youtharts development project recently conducted a study showing that students who are exposed to arts education show an increased ability to express emotions appropriately , communicate effectively with adults and peers , and to work cooperatively with others . 
they also show decreased frequency of delinquent behavior , improvement in attitudes toward school , higher self-esteem , and much lower dropout rates . 
these programs are working , and we must make sure we continue to fund them . 
i thank my colleagues for offering this amendment and i urge a `` yes '' vote . 
