The National Endowment for the Arts raises fines for fraud and lobbying violations

The National Endowment for the Arts is increasing the maximum fines it can impose for program fraud and illegal lobbying. This change ensures the penalties keep pace with inflation, as required by a 2015 law.

Federal agencies must regularly adjust their civil penalties for inflation. This ensures that fines remain a deterrent, rather than becoming a minor cost of doing business over time. It means that the financial consequences for misusing federal arts funding or lobbying improperly will not erode over time.