20 USC § 953 - National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t20/s953"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "20 USC § 953 - National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities"
title_number: 20
title_name: "EDUCATION"
section_number: "953"
section_name: "National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities"
chapter_number: 26
chapter_name: "SUPPORT AND SCHOLARSHIP IN HUMANITIES AND ARTS; MUSEUM SERVICES"
subchapter_number: "I"
subchapter_name: "NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 89–209, § 4, Sept. 29, 1965, 79 Stat. 846; renumbered title I, § 4, and amended Pub. L. 98–306, §§ 2, 4, May 31, 1984, 98 Stat. 223; renumbered § 4 and amended Pub. L. 99–194, title I, §§ 101(1), 104, Dec. 20, 1985, 99 Stat. 1332, 1333; Pub. L. 111–340, title II, § 208(1), Dec. 22, 2010, 124 Stat. 3602.)"
---


# § 953. National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities

**(a)** **Establishment; composition** There is established a National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities (hereinafter referred to as the “Foundation”), which shall be composed of a National Endowment for the Arts, a National Endowment for the Humanities, a Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities, and an Institute of Museum and Library Services.

**(b)** **Purpose** The purpose of the Foundation shall be to develop and promote a broadly conceived national policy of support for the humanities and the arts in the United States, and for institutions which preserve the cultural heritage of the United States pursuant to this subchapter.

**(c)** **Prohibition against Federal supervision over policy determination, personnel, or curriculum, or administration or operation of any school or other non-Federal body** In the administration of this subchapter no department, agency, officer, or employee of the United States shall exercise any direction, supervision, or control over the policy determination, personnel, or curriculum, or the administration or operation of any school or other non-Federal agency, institution, organization, or association.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 89–209, § 4, Sept. 29, 1965, 79 Stat. 846; renumbered title I, § 4, and amended Pub. L. 98–306, §§ 2, 4, May 31, 1984, 98 Stat. 223; renumbered § 4 and amended Pub. L. 99–194, title I, §§ 101(1), 104, Dec. 20, 1985, 99 Stat. 1332, 1333; Pub. L. 111–340, title II, § 208(1), Dec. 22, 2010, 124 Stat. 3602.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2010—Subsec. (a).  substituted “Institute of Museum and Library Services” for “Institute of Museum Services”.

1985—Subsec. (a). , struck out a second comma after “a National Endowment for the Humanities” and “(hereinafter established)” after “Institute of Museum Services”.

1984—Subsec. (a). , substituted “, a Federal Council” for “and a Federal Council” and inserted “, and an Institute of Museum Services”.

Subsec. (b). , inserted “, and for institutions which preserve the cultural heritage of the United States”.