Following is the Action Alert we are sending to the Museum Advocacy Team.

Barry Szczesny
AAM Government Affairs
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To:     Museum Advocacy Team
About:   Senate Floor Debate on Interior (NEA and NEH) Imminent
Date:     September 5, 1997

The Senate may begin floor debate as early as Tuesday, September 9 on
the Interior appropriations bill, which contains funding for the Office
of Museum Services (OMS) within the IMLS, NEH, and NEA.  As usual, the
NEA is expected to be the major lightning rod.

The good news is Senate appropriators have recommended funding levels
nominally higher than FY '97 for all three agencies:  $22.3 million for
the OMS, $110.7 million for the NEH, and $100 million for the NEA.
Moreover, there is strong support in the Senate as a whole for level
funding for the NEA, and at least level funding for the other agencies
as well.

However, we expect a number of amendments targeting the NEA -- precise
details have yet to become clear -- that, if successful, would make a
final vote for level funding a hollow victory.  One would diminish the
NEA's federal leadership role by increasing block grants to state arts
councils.  The second, more dangerous type, with damaging consequences
beyond the NEA, would define "arts education" as occurring only in
schools, and would restrict NEA funding for educational activities to
local school districts.  This could jeopardize support for museum
education at a host of other agencies.  If you believe in the value of
your educational programming, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SENATORS IMMEDIATELY
WITH THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDED MESSAGE:

1.  Please allow the NEA to continue supporting museums' education
activities, which occur in museums, schools, and communities, and which
serve a host of goals from lifelong learning to K-12 curricular
instruction and much in between.  Oppose attempts to apply an arbitrary
federal definition to arts education:  They are merely a back-door
strategy for killing the NEA by unfairly and untruthfully disparaging
our work.

2.  Support an equitable balance of grant distribution.  The division of
federal funds among national, state, and local programs varies between
the two endowments, but in each case represents a carefully drawn
balance addressing the needs of each.

3.  Support at least the Senate Appropriations Committee recommendation
of $100.05 million for the NEA, $110.7 million for the NEH, and $22.3
million for the OMS.

You can reach the congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121.  Many
legislators are reachable via e-mail:  Access Congress via the Library
of Congress Web site: http://thomas.loc.gov.  Call us if you have any
questions at (202) 289-9125.

Your calls and messages are extremely important!
As always, please send us copies of your letters and any responses.
Thanks!