The House of Representatives today approved budgets of $170 million for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities in 2010, according to the Los Angeles Times. It’s a 9.7 percent increase for each over their current $155 million. The vote was 254 to 173 for the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies budget bill, which includes the two cultural grant-making agencies.

The House also approved $25 million for the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, an increase of $4 million, and $634 million for the Smithsonian Institution, a $40-million hike.

Now arts lobbyists are planning another push in the Senate—this time to pass $170-million operating budgets for the NEH and NEA. The issue now: The Senate Appropriations Committee's budget proposal for the cultural agencies calls for $161.3 million each (President Obama's budget proposal included $161.3 million for the NEA and $171.3 million for the NEH).