WASHINGTON, DC -- After the Trump administration issued a 2026 budget proposal that would eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and other federal agencies that support culture, the arts, and learning, dozens of non-profit organizations nationwide -- including several in Rhode Island -- were abruptly notified by the Trump Administration that offers of federal grants have been terminated, withdrawing funds that have already been pledged.

U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) vowed to oppose the Trump Administration’s efforts to terminate NEA, NEH, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), just as he successfully thwarted Trump’s failed first-term attempts to scrap these federal grantmaking agencies that support the arts, libraries, museums, and other cultural organizations.

Lawsuits have already been filed by arts and humanities-focused organizations aiming to reverse Trump’s cuts in grant programs. Last week, a federal judge temporarily halted the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle IMLS.

Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee, who leads the annual effort to fund the NEA, NEH, and IMLS, says that even though Donald Trump fails to appreciate the economic, cultural and civic benefits of the arts, humanities, public libraries, and museums, the American people and their representatives in Congress do, and Senator Reed pledged to work on a bipartisan basis to defeat Trump's shortsighted effort to target and terminate these valuable programs, which benefit all fifty states and every single Congressional district.

“President Trump’s assault on the arts, humanities, and libraries is a real disservice to artists, scholars, the American people, and our national character and shared humanity.  Arts and culture are not just for the rich -- they should be for everybody and these federal agencies help keep the arts and humanities accessible, expanding educational access, lifelong learning, and cultural opportunities for all.  The federal government has a responsibility and a direct interest in supporting the arts, culture, humanities, and science,” said Senator Reed.  “President Trump wants to cut programs that educate, inspire, and make the arts and knowledge more accessible to all in order to give himself and fellow billionaires a bigger tax cut.  His administration is trying to ban books and control culture.  He’s threatening to topple community pillars and shut down economic engines that create jobs, boost tourism, and strengthen local economies.  I will work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to reverse these cuts and ensure the federal government does its part to support public libraries, museums, theaters, and public arts programs that make a positive difference.  I would not be where I am today without public libraries and public support for the arts and I will do everything I can to ensure kids today have the same opportunities I had to learn, discover, and expand their horizons.”

The NEA serves as the largest funder of the arts and arts education for communities across the country and funds a variety of grants that support things like visual arts, music, theater, and dance festivals, folk arts, community art centers, literature programs, arts in schools, and more.

The NEH is the only federal agency dedicated to funding humanities programs and supports federal grants to a range of projects, including historic preservation, colleges, universities, K–12 teaching, research institutions, independent scholars, and humanities council affiliates in all fifty states.  Both programs are currently funded at $207 million this fiscal year.

IMLS supports libraries, archives, and museums in every U.S. state, and is currently funded at $294.8 million this fiscal year.  The agency awards grants for technology upgrades and projects such as summer reading programs and bookmobiles for libraries and historic preservation and special exhibits for museums.

Arts and cultural production contributed $1.17 trillion to the U.S. economy in 2023, including $2.6 billion in Rhode Island, according to the latest report from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that was released April 2, 2025.  BEA found that arts and cultural economic activity accounted for 4.2 percent of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP).

Senator Reed succeeded the late U.S. Senator Claiborne Pell (D-RI) in the Senate and says protecting NEA and NEH is personal for him because Senator Pell played a key role in creating both agencies. And Senator Reed is the lead author of the Museum and Library Services Act (MLSA) of 2018 (PL 115-40), which was signed into law by President Trump, reauthorizing IMLS.

Reed also points out that the ideals of these agencies are enshrined in our Constitution as a fundamental tenet of American civil society. Article I, Section 8 explicitly empowers the United States Congress to promote the “Progress of Science and useful Arts.” The importance of federal support for these activities inherently aligns with the founding principles of this country. Federal support for the arts and humanities is essential to our education system, economy, and who we are as a nation.

“The value of arts, culture, and historic preservation goes beyond dollars and cents -- these fundamental institutions go the heart of who we are as a nation and the social cohesion and cultural ties that bind us all as fellow Americans,” said Reed.

Both Democratic and Republican presidents have strongly supported these fundamental federal agencies and Donald Trump is the only president who has sought to eliminate America's arts and humanities endowments.  Ronald Reagan once said: “The arts and humanities teach us who we are and what we can be. They lie at the very core of the culture of which we're a part.”

“President Trump is unable or unwilling to really understand what makes America great.  It’s not about politics or which party is in power: It’s our ideals, our shared history, our music, art, literature, and food -- all the things that unite us and make America unique.  So it make no sense to try and get rid of the small institutions that have such a big impact when it comes to preserving and promoting our shared heritage and the things that bring us together and give us hope,” said Senator Reed.

Reed pointed out that while NEA, NEH, and IMLS funding may be modest, it also serves as an important and prestigious ‘seal of approval’ that serves as a catalyst for giving by potential donors who see the federal government’s support of the organization or project as making it worthy of additional support.

Reed encouraged citizens who care about the arts and humanities to put their creative talents and voices to work and speak up and let their elected leaders know how they feel.

“This won’t be easy.  But working together, we can win this fight.  I know we can because we did it before and we can do it again.  This is about preserving our past and building a better future.  It’s not political, its constitutional.  It’s about ensuring the arts, humanities, libraries and museums are accessible to all of us, and together we cannot fail,” concluded Reed.