Editor's Note: The Council of the American Historical Association passed the following resolution relating to the National Endowment for the Humanities at a meeting that took place on January 7, 1996, during the Association's annual meeting in Atlanta.

Whereas, the president has urged continued commitment to the arts and humanities endowments and vetoed the fiscal 1996 Interior Appropriations Bill, stating, "It cuts funding of the National Endowments of the Arts and Humanities so deeply as to jeopardize their capacity to provide the cultural, educational and artistic programs that enrich America's communities, large and small;

Whereas, the strength of our nation and the quality of our civic life are rooted in the arts and humanities, which provide a deeper understanding of life and of society;

Whereas, the National Endowment for the Humanities has developed an impressive record of fostering an enhanced understanding of human experience and history and thus enriching citizen participation in public affairs;

Whereas, the National Endowment for the Humanities is currently the principal source of support for scholars working on independent research and study programs [and] National Endowment for the Humanities fellowships, summer stipends, and seminars for teachers have provided significant stimulation to the study of the humanities;

Whereas, unlike most private funding sources, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports scholars working on long-term collaborative research such as bibliographies, dictionaries, lexicons, and translations;

Whereas, the National Endowment for the Humanities State Councils supplement, strengthen, and extend local resources and talent by providing public programs and by promoting partnerships among libraries, museums, universities, schools, and historical societies; and

Whereas, National Endowment for the Humanities funding of public programs and state councils has been critical in the exciting expansion of what is sometimes referred to as "the parallel schools"—a burgeoning array of museum exhibits, films, interpreted sites, and public programs of all kinds;

Therefore, the American Historical Association urges the Congress to pass with necessary speed authorization legislation for the National Endowment for the Humanities and to provide adequate appropriations for sustaining its important task of supporting the humanities, a vital ingredient in strengthening our unique heritage.