WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. Larry Bucshon, M.D. (IN-08) and actor Tim Daly appeared before a luncheon meeting of The Ripon Society and Franklin Center for Global Policy Exchange last Friday afternoon to discuss the arts in this country and what role the federal government has in fostering creativity in communities nationwide.

Bucshon serves as a co-Chair of the Ripon Society, while Daly serves as President of the Creative Coalition. Joining in this discussion were 16 other performers and Coalition members, including: Yvette Nicole Brown, Gloria Calderòn Kellett, Grace Caroline Currey, Billy Eichner, Judy Gold, Clark Gregg, Justin Hartley, Jason Isaacs, Emma Kenney, Wendie Malick, Katherine McNamara, Sofia Pernas, Raegan Revord, Cobie Smulders, Emily Swallow, and BD Wong.

Bucshon began the discussion by explaining the incredible impact the arts have had on past, present, and future generations.

“Whether it's film, television, theater, dance, singing, painting, drawings, sculpting, or writing, the arts enrich our lives and our culture,” remarked the Indiana Republican. “I can't imagine what our lives would be like if we couldn't listen to music while driving in the car, watch TV, or go to a movie with family and friends, admire a piece of art or whatever scribbles on a piece of paper that your child has made.”

Daly followed, echoing the importance of the arts and explaining the important goals of the Creative Coalition.

“We support art as an essential human need. And we believe that every person, and especially every child in the United States, should be exposed to and participate in the arts. Not so that they can become professional artists, but because we know that it will make them better human beings.”

The Wings alumni continued.

“I think we need to recognize and encourage the federal government to increase their spending for the National Endowment for the Arts. We're very happy with what happened last year, and there's a modest increase that is on the table for this year that we hope goes through.”

Daly has served as the president of the Creative Coalition since 2008, guiding the advocacy group as it addresses matters that are of significant relevance to the arts and entertainment industry. These include topics such as First Amendment rights, government financing for the arts, and the provision of arts education within our public schools. In 2016, Tim created the successful, The Right to Bear Art. The Right to Bear Arts campaign for the Creative Coalition is to draw attention to the critical need for arts and arts education in our country.

“Art is like love. It is impossible to define, but we all know that we need it. Art is like air. It surrounds us. We're not always aware of it, but we quietly breathe it in, and it sustains us. And finally, art is like food. We're not going to like everything that we taste. Some of what we're going to think is gross. Some of what we're going to think is absolutely delectable, but we cannot live without it. So, it's important to remember that arts are essential to our culture, to our humanity, and they in fact, are the emissaries of our culture and our humanity.”

To view the remarks of Bucshon and Daly before the luncheon last Friday, please click the link below:

https://youtu.be/1uFSZVatyMs

The Ripon Society is a public policy organization that was founded in 1962 and takes its name from the town where the Republican Party was born in 1854 – Ripon, Wisconsin. One of the main goals of The Ripon Society is to promote the ideas and principles that have made America great and contributed to the GOP’s success. These ideas include keeping our nation secure, keeping taxes low and having a federal government that is smaller, smarter and more accountable to the people. For more information on The Ripon Society, please visit www.riponsociety.org.

Founded in 1978, The Franklin Center for Global Policy Exchange is a non-partisan, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization committed to enhancing global understanding of important international issues. The Franklin Center brings together Members of the U.S. Congress and their international parliamentary counterparts as well as experts from the Diplomatic corps, foreign officials, senior private sector representatives, scholars, and other public policy experts. Through regular conferences and events where leading international opinion leaders share ideas, the Franklin Center promotes enlightened, balanced, and unbiased international policy discussion on major international issues.

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