Below is the information alert on the president's FY 2000 budget that
AAM Government and Public Affairs faxed to its Museum Advocacy Team last
night.
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To:  Museum Advocacy Team
From:  AAM Government Affairs
Date:  February 3, 1999

Re:  Clinton Administration's FY 2000 Budget Proposal

On Monday, the president released his $1.77-trillion proposal for the
federal budget, which includes funding requests for the cultural
agencies and education programs.

The president is requesting significant increases over last year's
congressional funding for the Office of Museum Services (OMS) within the
Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the
Humanities (NEH), and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).  The
funding for the National Science Foundation's Informal Science Education
(ISE) program would be sustained at its current level (the program
received a $10-million increase last year).  Only a small increase is
being proposed for the Department of Commerce's Telecommunications and
Information Infrastructure Assistance Program (TIIAP).  Listed below are
the actual FY 1999 funding levels for these agencies and the FY 2000
request.

Agency/Program     FY 1999         FY 2000 Budget Request
OMS                      $23.4 million    $34 million
NSF (ISE)              $46 million       $46 million
NEA                      $98 million       $150 million
NEH                      $110.7 million   $150 million
TIIAP                    $18 million       $20.1 million

The request for OMS includes a total of $10,450,000 in additional
funding.  According to the agency, "Half of the increase will make
museum collections more accessible to schools and the public through the
President's educational technology initiative, the National Digital
Library for Education.  The other half of the increase will strengthen
museums' service to communities, especially with after-school
programming, provide resources for the field, and support collaborations
between museums and libraries."  Other OMS programs, such as General
Operating Support (GOS), would remain level.

The president's request also includes huge proposed increases for
Department of Education programs in which museums participate; for
example, $600 million for 21st Century Community Learning Centers, an
increase of $400 million to help some 2,000 additional school districts
create or expand after-school programs offering academic and
recreational services to students, and $130 million for Charter Schools,
an increase of $30 million.

In addition, the Goals 2000 program would be sustained at its current
level of $461 million to support state and local educational reform
efforts.

Note that the budget request is just the first step in this year's
budget process.  Congressional consideration of the FY 2000 budget is
just beginning.  Note also that despite all of the recent news of budget
surpluses, obtaining the funding increases for these agencies and
programs, especially the cultural agencies, will not be easy as Congress
must contend with restrictive budget caps this year.  As in the past, we
will be counting on your support in the coming months to help us boost
these important funding sources for museums.  If you have any questions,
please contact us at 202/289-9125.