Below is an "Action Alert" AAM Government and Public Affairs is sending out
tonight to its Museum Advocacy Team (MAT).
***************************

To: MUSEUM ADVOCACY TEAM (Special Targeted List)

From: AAM Government Affairs
Date: October 7, 1999
Re: House-Senate Conference to Meet on Funding for IMLS, NEA, and NEH

CONTACTS NEEDED IMMEDIATELY!

Both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate have passed a
version of the Interior Appropriations bill, which contains funding for the
Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the National Endowment for
the Arts (NEA), and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).  Now
differences between the two bills need to be worked out in a House-Senate
conference committee, which is expected to meet mid-next week.

The good news is that there is a solid opportunity for all three cultural
agencies to get a funding increase this year.  The Senate bill would
increase funding for the NEA and NEH by $5 million each over last year,
bringing their funding levels for FY 2000 to $103 million and $115.7
million, respectively.  The House version of the Interior Appropriations
bill funds the two endowments at levels slightly less than last year due to
an across the board cut of the entire bill.

With regard to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the
Senate bill funds the museum side of the agency at $23.9 million for FY
2000, an increase of $500,000 over last year.  However several Senators went
on record encouraging the Senate to accept the House's higher funding level
of $24.3 million for the museum side of IMLS during the House-Senate
conference.

The bad news is that, while the NEA and NEH could get $5 million more than
last year, and the museum side of IMLS almost $1 million more, the House
leadership is putting pressure on House conferees to stick to the House's
lower numbers for NEA and NEH.  And from what we understand, the Senate
conferees are showing a reluctance to fight for their increases.  So we need
your help.

Please contact your Senator and/or Representative, especially if they are
listed below, and urge them to support the House's increase for the IMLS and
the Senate's increases for the NEA and NEH in the upcoming conference on the
Interior Appropriations bill (H.R. 2466).

House members of the Interior appropriations conference are:  Robert Cramer
(D-AL), Norman Dicks (D-WA), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Jack Kingston (R-GA),
Jim Kolbe (R-AZ), James Moran (D-VA), John Murtha (D-PA), George Nethercutt
(R-WA), David Obey (D-WI), John Peterson (R-PA), Ralph Regula (R-OH), Joe
Skeen (R-NM), Charles Taylor (R-NC), Zach Wamp (R-TN), and Bill Young
(R-FL).

Senate conferees are:  Robert Bennett (R-UT), Conrad Burns (R-MT), Robert
Byrd (D-WV), Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-CO), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Pete
Domenici (R-NM), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Slade Gorton
(R-WA), Judd Gregg (R-NH), Ernest Hollings (D-SC), Herbert Kohl (D-WI),
Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Harry Reid (D-NV), and Ted Stevens (R-AK).

As always, stress how funding from these agencies has helped you to serve
your community.  You can contact your legislators 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!   Please
contact us if you have any questions at (202) 289-9125.

***************************

Barry G. Szczesny, Esq.
Government Affairs Counsel and
Assistant Director
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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