WHEREAS, more than 40 mayors from cities across the nation met October 3 in Palm Beach in a working session to develop an action agenda on arts and tourism to present to the next President of the United States; and

WHEREAS, the mayors in Palm Beach drafted this national action agenda based on significant consensus on the arts and tourism challenges that cities face; and

WHEREAS, this national action agenda includes findings and recommendations that can be accomplished through executive orders and administrative actions that would have an immediate impact on arts and tourism in cities,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the United States Conference of Mayors adopts as its policy the executive orders and administrative actions called for by the mayors in the National Action Forum on Arts and Tourism:

• The President should nominate a Secretary of Homeland Security who believes the department's mission is to welcome visitors to this country as well as protect the homeland.

• The National Endowment for the Arts should be directed to again place a priority on funding local arts agencies' programs - something which has not happened over the past eight years.