Bill would ban funding for National Endowment for the Humanities

Rep. Matt Salmon (R-Ariz.) has introduced legislation that would prohibit federal funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities. 

Salmon said the independent agency did not deserve federal funding for what he called “frivolous” projects.

{mosads}”The NEH is free to pursue private funding for any programs it wishes. In light of our astronomical debt, burdening the U.S. with these thoughtless projects is insulting,” Salmon said.

Last week, Salmon introduced a bill that would prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars toward the NEH’s “Popular Romance Project” to study romance in popular culture.

Salmon listed other programs in addition to the Popular Romance Project, such as a documentary on “Comic Book Superheroes,” a website debating “What is the Meaning of Life,” an undergraduate course on “What is belief?”, and a seminar on “What is the Good Life and How Do I Live It?”.

“Just one of these programs is outrageous enough, but to think that we have spent hundreds of millions of dollars supporting projects most Americans would find frivolous at best is offensive,” Salmon said.

The National Endowment for the Humanities has requested $146 million for fiscal 2015.