White House Proposes $34M Increase for Smithsonian

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The White House yesterday proposed a $33.8 million increase for fiscal 2009 for the Smithsonian Institution, the largest cultural account in the federal budget. The government scrutinized the spending patterns and travel expenses of several of the Smithsonian's top officials last year, so some speculated the budget would be trimmed rather than expanded. The institution received $682.6 million for fiscal 2008, which ends in October, a $47 million increase from 2007. The 2009 increase comes after pleas from the Smithsonian for more money to tackle its backlog of repairs totaling $2.5 billion. The proposal includes $128 million for facilities, an increase over 2008's $105.4 million. The $128 million includes continued funding for improvements at the National Museum of Natural History and the National Zoo. The budget proposal also allows $69.1 million for maintenance, an increase over $51.4 million for 2008.