Senator Banks Advocates NEH Reforms for 2026 Celebration

Clear Facts

• Senator Jim Banks supports the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in providing grants for America’s 250th anniversary celebration in 2026.
• Banks suggests reforms to the NEH, including converting individual grants to larger block grants to states, to reduce administrative costs.
• The NEH is offering 250 grants of up to $25,000 each for projects celebrating America’s founding and significant historical milestones.

Indiana Senator Jim Banks has taken a proactive stance in ensuring the success of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations, slated for 2026. In a recent letter to the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Banks expressed his support for the agency’s role in funding this significant national event.

Banks highlighted the importance of maintaining funding commitments already made for the celebration, emphasizing that “citizens, patriotic organizations, local governments, and states have already been organizing America 250 for over a year.”

In his letter, Banks proposed reforms for the NEH to enhance efficiency. He suggested converting individual, competitive grants into larger block grants to states as a method to reduce staffing and administrative overhead. He also commended the NEH for its efforts to eliminate “woke, divisive, anti-American programming.”

Banks’ correspondence follows an executive order by a former president, which established a White House task force dedicated to planning the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration. Banks expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming milestone, stating, “Patriotism is vital to protecting our national security and preserving American culture.”

The NEH has already begun preparations for the semiquincentennial. On April 15, the agency announced a call for proposals under the “Celebrate America!” program, which will award 250 grants of up to $25,000 each. These grants aim to support projects that highlight the founding of the nation, key historical figures, and significant achievements.

Banks underscored the necessity of coordination among various entities, including the Semiquincentennial Commission, the White House’s Task Force 250, and other federal agencies. He stressed that even if existing funding commitments need to be paused or restructured, they should be fully disbursed as soon as possible to ensure the success of the celebration.

The celebration of America’s 250th anniversary presents a unique opportunity to reflect on the nation’s history and achievements, and Senator Banks is keen on ensuring that the event is both impactful and unifying.

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