Authorizing Legislation for NEH

Overview

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) was established by the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 (P.L. 89-209). This legislation also created the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The NEH (and the NEA) were last reauthorized in 1990 (P.L. 101-512). Because this authorization expired in October, 1993, the endowments have been operating under the 1990 legislation by default.

In the 106th Congress (session one), the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions began the process of reauthorization for NEH and NEA, but did not mark up a bill. The parallel House Committee on Education and the Workforce did not make any moves toward generating a bill. The Senate passed re-authorization bills under the 104th and 105th Congresses, neither of which were enacted.

Jurisdiction: The following Congressional committees have jurisdication over NEH authorization:

House Education and the Workforce Committee
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee

Index to Enacted Authorizing Legislation

Date	Titles	Public Law
November 5, 1990	SHORT TITLE(S) AS INTRODUCED: Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1991 SHORT TITLE(S) AS ENACTED: Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1991 Arts, Humanities, and Museums Amendments of 1990 OFFICIAL TITLE AS INTRODUCED: A bill making appropriations for the Department of the Interior and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1991, and for other purposes.	P.L. 101-512
December 20, 1985	SHORT TITLE(S) AS INTRODUCED: National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities Amendments of 1985 SHORT TITLE(S) AS PASSED HOUSE: Arts, Humanities, and Museums Amendments of 1985 SHORT TITLE(S) AS REPORTED TO SENATE: National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Amendments of 1985 SHORT TITLE(S) AS PASSED SENATE: National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities Amendments of 1985 SHORT TITLE(S) AS ENACTED: Arts, Humanities, and Museums Amendments of 1985 OFFICIAL TITLE AS INTRODUCED: A bill to amend the National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities Act of 1965, to extend the authorizations of appropriations for that Act, and for other purposes.	P.L. 99-194
December 4, 1980	SHORT TITLE(S) AS INTRODUCED: Arts, Humanities, and Museum Services Act of 1979 SHORT TITLE(S) AS PASSED SENATE: Arts and Humanities Act of 1980 OFFICIAL TITLE AS INTRODUCED: A bill to amend and extend the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965, and for other purposes.	P.L. 96-496
October 8, 1976	SHORT TITLE(S) AS INTRODUCED: Arts, Humanities, and Cultural Affairs Act Museum Services Act OFFICIAL TITLE AS INTRODUCED: A bill to amend and extend the National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities Act of 1965, to provide for the improvement of museum services, to establish a challenge grant program.	P.L. 94-462
October 19, 1973	SHORT TITLE(S) AS INTRODUCED: National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Amendments OFFICIAL TITLE AS INTRODUCED: A bill to amend the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965.	P.L. 93-133
July 20, 1970		P.L. 91-346
June 18, 1968		P.L. 90-348
September 29, 1965	SHORT TITLE: National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 OFFICIAL TITLE: An Act to provide for the establishment of the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities to promote progress and scholarship in the humanities and the arts in the United States and for other purposes.	P.L. 89-209