PHOENIX —Attorney General Kris Mayes and a coalition of states are urging a federal court to stop the Trump administration from gutting federal support for public humanities programs that serve communities nationwide. The coalition filed an amicus brief backing a lawsuit that challenges the National Endowment for the Humanities’ (NEH) abrupt cancellation of critical support for state humanities councils.
"Arizonans and Americans did not vote for this. Congress did not approve this. The Trump Administration does not have the unilateral authority to steal this funding from the states," said Attorney General Kris Mayes.
The NEH’s “Fed/State Partnership” program—funded every year since 1972 and—was designed by Congress to ensure every state has access to high-quality, community-based humanities programming. The Arizona Humanities Awards are sponsored by Arizona State University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. But earlier this year, the NEH suddenly drastically reduced support for state humanities councils, forcing the councils to cancel programs, furlough staff, and scale back or eliminate educational offerings.
The amicus brief, filed in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, argues that the administration’s actions:
- Violate federal law by ignoring Congress’s statutory mandate to fund state humanities councils and by failing to follow required procedures for terminating grants.
- Overstep constitutional boundaries, infringing on Congress’s power of the purse and violating the separation of powers and the Take Care Clause.
- Cause irreparable harm to state councils as well as local organizations, schools, and libraries that depend on NEH funding to deliver programs in civic education, cultural heritage, history, literature, and more.
Arizona Humanities provides the following services to Arizonans:
- AZ Reads, a new initiative to launch innovative and engaging literacy programs in K-12 schools in Arizona. AZ Reads provides support for literacy programs led by Arizona educators in partnership with K-12 schools and nonprofits that serve Arizona schools
- Grants for professional development and support for libraries seeking to create thought-provoking programming on important issues, stories, and community history in commemoration of America at 250. This project was developed in partnership with Arizona Humanities and the Arizona State Library, Archives & Public Records, with support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
- They host Blue Corn Festival: A Celebration of Diné Culture, Food, and Futures, where culture, community, and creativity come together in a celebration of food, art, and literature that celebrates the rich cultural heritage of Arizona.
A hearing on the motion for preliminary injunction is scheduled for August 4 at 9 a.m. at the federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon.
The attorneys general of Maryland, Oregon and Washington are co-leading this amicus brief. Also joining are the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Nevada New Mexico, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Vermont, and the District of Columbia.
A copy of the amicus brief is available here and here.