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Read the latest news on advocacy efforts prepared by OPERA America's Director of Government Affairs — and check back for regular updates.

Review the key issues affecting opera and the arts with downloadable briefs prepared by the Cultural Action Group.

Advocacy Updates

Issued June 16, 2025

NEA announces "Celebrating America250: Arts Projects Honoring the National Garden of American Heroes" Special Grant Opportunity

In anticipation of the 250th anniversary of American Independence in 2026, the National Endowment for the Arts announced today, Friday, that they will offer grants of $25,000 each (no cost share required) for arts projects in any discipline that celebrate the contributions to American history of one or more of the national heroes listed in Executive Order 13978 of January 18, 2021. Proposals for works of art can be in a range of formats: plays, operas, literary arts, concerts, visual arts, museum exhibitions, etc. that honor these individuals. Projects may take place in any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. jurisdictions. Deadline: Monday, July 14, 2025. More can be found on the NEA’s website here. 

House passes recissions package - Take Action with the Senate against Cuts to Public Radio and Public Broadcasting!

The House voted 214-212 on Thursday to pass the GOP’s $9.4 billion rescission package, marking the first test of the Trump administration’s attempts to codify clawbacks of what it calls wasteful spending. The measure would cancel $8.3 billion in foreign aid and $1.1 billion in taxpayer support for public broadcasting. Public radio and television in communities large and small bring music programming to countless new audiences. Contact your Senators urging them to oppose these cuts today by using this form from the American Coalition for Public Radio!

Senate Finance Committee Releases Legislative Text

Monday, the Senate Finance Committee released legislative text for its part of the reconciliation package. Our partner, the National Council of Nonprofits, also has a detailed overview of the bill and its impact on charitable nonprofit. The Council on Foundations has also updated a detailed summary of the bill.

The Senate Finance Committee text includes the following changes from the House-passed version:

1. It contains no tiered increase to the private foundation excise tax; 

2. It establishes a charitable deduction for nonitemizers of $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for joint filers; and  

3. It maintains the 60% increased charitable deduction for itemizers but includes a 0.5% floor  

This process is ongoing and many things can change. The Charitable Giving Coalition is also urging advocates to reach out their members of Congress about supporting expanding access to the charitable deduction.

Federal Funding Update – Fiscal Year 2026

Congress has begun the Appropriations process to fund the federal government for FY26. The White House’s budget request, which proposed eliminating funding for the NEA, NEH, and IMLS, is only a proposal. Congress determines the final appropriations for these agencies. It is imperative that advocates make their voices heard in speaking to the vital work and precedent of the NEA. There are also many opportunities this summer for in-person meetings as Congress is on recess. For example, The House is currently not in session and representatives will most likely be back in home districts June 14 – 22. Also, you may begin to consider planning a meeting during your officials’ July and August recesses. The NEA Issue Brief, which was created in partnership with the Cultural Advocacy Coalition, as well as state specific data can help in your discussions with elected officials. Our advocacy toolkit includes resources for how to effectively communicate with elected officials. Our Cultural Advocacy Partner, the American Alliance of Museums, also has a robust guide for meetings with your members of Congress.  

Latest on IMLS Court Cases

ALA v. Sonderling: On June 6, 2025, in the case ALA v. Sonderling filed by Democracy Forward on behalf of the American Library Association and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Workers, the Judge decided not to grant a preliminary injunction while the courts continue to decide the merits of the case. This does not mean the case is over, it means that the Judge will not put into place an order stopping the Administration from further dismantling IMLS while the parties litigate the legal issues.  

The Judge's opinion stated that other pending cases seeking reinstatement of grants have questioned whether those types of cases belong in the US Court of Federal Claims as opposed to Federal District Court and therefore creating questions as to whether or not this case is in the proper court. The Judge further noted that a preliminary injunction is "an extraordinary remedy" and that a plaintiff must make a clear showing of "a substantial likelihood of success on the merits" in order for one to be issued.   Key takeaway: With the lack of clarity on the proper court jurisdiction, the Judge decided this case did not meet the standard for a preliminary injunction. This means that the June 6 decision should not change the current status of your grant.

Rhode Island v. Trump: The preliminary injunction that was put into place May 13 in the case filed by the 21 State Attorneys General, Rhode Island v. Trump, is still in effect.  The Judge in that case ordered IMLS to:

1. reverse the actions taken by the Administration to implement the Executive Order;

2. not further pause or terminate IMLS grants or contracts to grantees in the plaintiff's 21 states; and

3. restore the grants to grantees in the plaintiff's 21 states. 

Key takeaway: IMLS staff have returned to work, and library and museum grantees in those 21 states have their IMLS grants reinstated. This preliminary injunction is in place while the court continues to consider the merits of the case as to whether a permanent injunction should be put in place. The government has appealed the Judge's order of the preliminary injunction and requested a stay of the injunction while the appeal is being considered. The Judge declined to issue a stay, and the preliminary injunction remains in effect until the government's appeal is considered or until a decision is made on the merits of a permanent injunction.  As noted in the reinstatement letters grantees received, it is unclear how long the reinstatements will last given the government's appeal and ongoing court actions.

The court actions are expected to be a lengthy process and uncertainty around the future of IMLS will likely continue for some time.

Also this week, Senators Edward Markey (D-MA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) sent a letter to IMLS Acting Director Keith Sonderling expressing concerns over the gutting of IMLS and requesting answers regarding grant terminations and the future of IMLS.

Update Courtesy of the American Alliance of Museums.

GAO declares Administration pause on museum, library funds illegal

The Government Accountability Office has ruled that the Administration is illegally holding back funding appropriated by Congress for the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences. An Executive Order issued in March called for all nonstatutory functions at IMLS to be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”. Deputy Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling, the interim director of IMLS, drastically reduced the agency’s operations following that order, the GAO said. The decisions are nonbinding, however, though the GAO has the statutory authority to sue for the release of the funds. In May, a GAO spokesperson suggested that there was no plan to do so, instead saying that “changes to these policies and priorities can be addressed through the legislative process with Congress and the Administration.” The spokesperson confirmed Monday that the organization’s position hasn’t changed. 

We will continue to monitor the situation and any implications it may have for other areas of federal funding.

Update Courtesy of Congressional Quarterly

Issued June 6, 2025

Rep. Pingree and Rep. Turner Lead 120+ Representatives in Bipartisan Push to Restore NEA Grants

In an announcement released Friday, June 6, Congressional Arts Caucus Co-Chairs Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Congressman Mike Turner (R-Ohio) led more than 120 of their colleagues in urging the Administration to restore National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant funding approved by Congress. The bipartisan push comes after the administration canceled NEA grants to hundreds of community organizations, many of which had already begun the projects for which they had been awarded. See the full text of the letter here, which states, “Many grantees are anchors in their communities, whether as employers and educators, prominent Main Street destinations, and tourist attractions. Lost grants will hurt budgets, contract programming, and may lead to layoffs – right as the crucial summer season kicks off for many organizations and small businesses.”

Administration Issues Travel Ban

The Administration issued a proclamation on Wednesday, June 4, imposing two levels of restriction and limited entry on a number of countries. At 12:01 a.m. ET on June 9, 2025, the following will go into effect for foreign nationals of designated countries who are outside of the U.S. and do not have a valid visa. Full restriction and limitation of entry: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Partial restriction and limitation of entry: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. More can be found at Artists from Abroad.

Reconciliation Bill Passed in the House and Is Moving Through the Senate

This week the Senate began pushing the reconciliation bill to be completed and signed by the White House before the July Fourth recess. The hard deadline will hit when the nation's borrowing limit must be raised — which Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has projected to be mid-July, before Congress leaves for its monthlong August recess. Our partners at the National Council of Nonprofits have created a robust analysis of the impact of the bill on charitable nonprofits and we are tracking the developments closely.

Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations Moving Through Markup Process — Take Action Now for the Cultural Agencies!

With the reconciliation bill in the Senate, the House has taken up the Fiscal Year 26 Appropriations process. As requested in the Administration’s first team, the White House’s FY26 budget request, which proposes zeroing out the NEA, NEH, and IMLS. While members of the House Appropriations Committee have stated they are planning on writing bills close the White House’s request, Congress has continued to demonstrate bipartisan support for the NEA, passing a budget that funds the NEA at $207 million in FY2023, FY2024, and FY2025. It is imperative that elected officials hear from their constituents about how continued lost arts funding has and will impact their communities and the essential role of the NEA in underpinning support for the arts on a national level. You can use the link here to send a message to your elected official urging them to support the agency. Act now!

White House Sends Rescissions Plan to Congress — Take Action against Cuts to Public Radio and Public Broadcasting!

Earlier this week, the White House sent a request to Congress to claw back $9.4 billion in already appropriated funds. Congress must act by July 18, or the White House will be required to spend the money. The request seeks to cancel $8.3 billion in foreign aid and nearly $1.1 billion in taxpayer support for National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service. The House is expected to vote on the package next week. Public radio and television in communities large and small bring music programming to countless new audiences. Take action today by using the form from the American Coalition for Public Radio or find your member of Congress on our website and use the talking points created by the Protect My Public Media Coalition.

DOGE Subcommittee Hearing on “Public Funds, Private Agendas: NGOs Gone Wild”

On Wednesday, June 4, the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency held a hearing on NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and nonprofits. The testimony of Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits, can be found here. As Diane states, “Nonprofits are the backbone of this country, providing critical support to improve communities and save lives.”

Judge Blocks Trump's Efforts to Shutter Education Department

On May 22, U.S. District Judge Myong Joun in Boston granted a preliminary injunction blocking the March executive order in an order that also directs the department to reinstate employees who were fired as part of a workforce reduction that cut nearly 50 percent of its workforce. The ruling addresses a pair of consolidated lawsuits: one from a coalition of attorneys general representing 20 states and the District of Columbia and a second from the Massachusetts-based Somerville and Easthampton school districts, the American Federation of Teachers, and a number of other education groups. The administration has filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court to undo the federal judge’s order.

Supreme Court allows Trump’s firings of independent agency board members to take effect, for now

On May 22, the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday granted the Administration's emergency request to fire the heads of two independent agencies, the National Labor Relations Board and the Merit Systems Protection Board. A district court had sided with Cathy Harris of the Merit Systems Protection Board and Gwynne Wilcox of the National Labor Relations Board, concluding their firings from their independent agencies were likely illegal and must be reversed. In a 6–3 decision, the high court granted the Administration’s request for a stay of the lower court order to reinstate Harris and Wilcox, at least for now. The dispute is currently working its way through a federal court of appeals and may ultimately return to the Supreme Court on the merits.

RESOURCE: Federal Cultural Agencies Press + Dialogue Tracking

A new public dashboard is monitoring press coverage and public statements related to NEA grant terminations and broader federal arts funding cuts. Use it to stay informed on evolving narratives.

Key Advocacy Issues

Prepare to take action by reviewing the key issues with downloadable briefs prepared by the Cultural Action Group.