On June 21, 2007, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the fiscal year (FY) 2008 funding bill for Interior and Related Agencies.

The committee provided the National Endowment for the Humanities with a $5 million increase over its FY 2007 level and the amount requested by the President for FY 2008 to a level of $146.3 million. This is significantly lower than the $160 million, or $19 million increase, provided by the House Appropriations Committee in its bill.

Despite the spate of bad publicity this week, the Smithsonian Institution’s budget would be $696.7 million, or an $18.3 million increase over the President’s request. Nearly all of that money though would be allocated for facilities upkeep.

The National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Fund would receive $75 million, or $11 million over the President’s request.