Yesterday the US House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee took the first substantive step in the FY 1997 funding process for the IMS, NEA and NEH. The Subcommittee recommended level funding for IMS at $21 million; level funding for NEA at $99.5 million; and a 10% cut for NEH to $99.5 million. The figures for NEA and NEH represent the numbers informally agreed to last year by the House Republican caucus. That agreement also called for elimination of the NEA after FY 1997 and of the NEH after FY 1998. We anticipate that there will *not* be a fight on the House floor (other than perhaps a pro forma attempt by supporters for an increase). We hope that the Senate will do a little better. Subscribers to museum-l who live in Washington State might want to write to Sen. Slade Gorton at 730 Hart Senate Office Bldg., Washington, DC 20510, who chairs the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, and ask him to recommend higher figures. Other members of the Subcommittee are, who should be asked to support higher figures, include: GOP Dem Ted Stevens (AK) Robert Byrd (WV) 522 Hart 311 Hart Thad Cochran (MS) J. Bennett Johnston (LA) 326 Russell 136 Hart Pete Domenici (NM) Patrick Leahy (VT) 328 Hart 433 Russell Mark Hatfield (OR) Dale Bumpers (AR) 711 Hart 229 Dirksen Conrad Burns (MT) Harry Reid (NV 187 Dirksen 324 Hart Robert Bennett (UT) Patty Murray (WA) 431 Dirksen 111 Russell Connie Mack (FL) 517 Hart All Senators have the 20510 zip code. Note: a) there's no point writing to Senators in states other than your own and b) although many Senators have e-mail, its effectiveness has yet to be demonstrated -- we definitely recommend writing as opposed to e-mail. Andy Finch [log in to unmask] AAM Government Affairs