With apologies to non-U.S. list members, following is a slightly
modified version of an urgent alert that AAM is sending out tonight to
the Museum Advocacy Team.

After today, questions should be addressed to Barry Szczesny at
[log in to unmask]
(I'll be away for a few days.)

Andy Finch
AAM Government Affairs
[log in to unmask]

The House of Representatives is considering a bill to restrict
tax-exempt organizations that engage in any communication related to
Federal activities.

Title I of HR 3485, which the full House may take up as early as
Wednesday, requires tax-exempt organizations to seek permission from
their membership before undertaking "political activities."   "Political
activities" means educating any individual about any candidate,
legislation, law, or regulation.  On a yearly basis, organizations would
have to notify their membership of proposed "political" expenditures;
members would have the option of refusing to allow their dues to be used
for that purpose.  Expenditures would then have to be reduced by a
proportion corresponding to the percentage of the membership that
refused permission.

Once Congress and agencies promulgate laws and regulations, AAM tries to
inform our members in sufficient detail to ensure their compliance.
Voluntary associations, such as AAM, are thus an important component of
a "civil society."

With respect to educating the government as it fornulates these
measures, the Bill of Rights provides that "Congress shall make no law
abridging the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition
the government for a redress of grievances."  AAM is a voluntary
assemblage of museums.  While HR 3485 does not eliminate museums' right
to petition the government, it seriously abridges it through
ill-thought, ill-drafted, burdensome, and unnecessary requirements.

Bad as HR 3485 would be for AAM, and thus for the field as a whole, it
would also restrict thousands of individual museums, which would have to
seek advance permission if they so much as write a letter to the editor
on a Federal issue - let alone communicate with Congress.

Please call your House member immediately and urge him or her to oppose
HR 3485.  You can reach the House switchboard at 202-225-3121.  Ask to
be connected to your House member's office.  If you have time to write,
please do so as well.  Fax numbers and snail and e-mail addresses are
available at the House web-site: www.house.gov.  If you have any
questions, please contact AAM Government Affairs at 202-289-9125.  And
don't forget to send us a copy of your letter.  Thanks as always.