Yesterday the US House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee took the
first substantive step in the FY 1997 funding process for the IMS, NEA
and NEH.  The Subcommittee recommended level funding for IMS at $21
million; level funding for NEA at $99.5 million; and a 10% cut for NEH
to $99.5 million.

The figures for NEA and NEH represent the numbers informally agreed to
last year by the House Republican caucus.  That agreement also called for
elimination of the NEA after FY 1997 and of the NEH after FY 1998.

We anticipate that there will *not* be a fight on the House floor (other
than perhaps a pro forma attempt by supporters for an increase).

We hope that the Senate will do a little better.

Subscribers to museum-l who live in Washington State might want to write to
Sen. Slade Gorton at 730 Hart Senate Office Bldg., Washington, DC 20510,
who chairs the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, and ask him
to recommend higher figures.

Other members of the Subcommittee are, who should be asked to support
higher figures, include:

GOP                             Dem

Ted Stevens (AK)                Robert Byrd (WV)
522 Hart                        311 Hart

Thad Cochran (MS)               J. Bennett Johnston (LA)
326 Russell                     136 Hart

Pete Domenici (NM)              Patrick Leahy (VT)
328 Hart                        433 Russell

Mark Hatfield (OR)              Dale Bumpers (AR)
711 Hart                        229 Dirksen

Conrad Burns (MT)               Harry Reid (NV
187 Dirksen                     324 Hart

Robert Bennett (UT)             Patty Murray (WA)
431 Dirksen                     111 Russell

Connie Mack (FL)
517 Hart

All Senators have the 20510 zip code.

Note:  a)  there's no point writing to Senators in states other than your own

and b)  although many Senators have e-mail, its effectiveness has yet to
be demonstrated -- we definitely recommend writing as opposed to e-mail.

Andy Finch
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AAM Government Affairs