Following is an ACTION ALERT AAM just sent out to its Museum Advocacy Team
regarding imminent U. S. House of Representatives floor action on the
Interior Appropriations bill. The bill contains funding for, among myriad
other agencies and programs, NEA, NEH, and IMLS (Office of Museum Services).
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To: MUSEUM ADVOCACY TEAM
From: AAM Government Affairs
Date: July 8, 1999
Re: House Floor Amendment to Increase Funding for NEA and NEH
CONTACTS NEEDED ASAP!
The House of Representatives is expected to consider the FY 2000 Interior
Appropriations bill (H.R. 2466), which includes funding for the federal
cultural agencies, as early as Tuesday, July 13. During the House floor
debate on the bill, Representatives Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Steve Horn
(R-CA) are expected to offer an amendment which would increase the budgets
of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for
the Humanities (NEH) by $10 million each. The House Appropriations
Committee recently recommended $98 million for NEA and $110.7 million for
NEH -- the same funding levels as last year for both agencies. As you will
recall, we were successful in getting a recommended increase of $1 million
for IMLS, Office of Museum Services (for a total of $24.4 million) in
committee.
The amendment would bring NEA's budget up to $108 million, the agency's
first increase since 1992 when it received a budget of $175.9 million. The
additional funds would support grants for arts education, access to the arts
in underserved areas, and other outreach projects proposed under the NEA's
Challenge America Initiative.
The amendment would bring NEH's budget up to $120.7 million, the agency's
first meaningful increase in two years, but it is still significantly below
the $177 million appropriated in 1992. The additional funds would be used
for expanding its summer seminar series to provide professional development
opportunities to our nation's teachers as well as broadening the outreach of
its humanities programs.
Both NEA and NEH in recent years have implemented significant new reforms in
the way they do business. Both agencies have new chairmen that have
demonstrated an ability to work with Congress.
Please contact your member of the House of Representatives ASAP and urge
them to support the Slaughter/Horn amendment to the Interior Appropriations
bill (H.R. 2466) to increase funding for the NEA and NEH by $10 million
each. As always, stress how funding from the endowments has helped you to
serve the public. You can contact your Representative by calling the U.S.
Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Finally, please share your
correspondence and any feedback you get with us. Thank you!
***************************
Barry G. Szczesny, Esq.
Government Affairs Counsel
Government and Public Affairs
American Association of Museums
1575 Eye Street, NW
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20005
202/289-9125 Phone
202/289-6578 Fax
[log in to unmask] E-mail
http://www.aam-us.org Website
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