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----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Apologies for any duplication. Marianne Cavanaugh Saint Louis Art Museum >------------------------------------------------------- >AAM Government Affairs is sending out the following alert to advocates >via FAX tonight: > >URGENT!! AAM ALERT > >HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE RECOMMENDS HUGE CUT FOR NEA, LEVEL FUNDING FOR NEH, >INCREASE FOR IMLS. > >The House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee today recommended a 90 >percent cut for the NEA -- down to $10 million for FY 1998 from $99.5 >million. The subcommittee also recommended $110 million for the NEH (same >as last year) and $23.39 million for the Office of Museum Services within >the IMLS (a $1.39 million increase from last year). > >While the cut to the NEA is devastating, we were aware that such a >recommendation might be made, because NEA funding increasingly has become >a symbolic issue for some members of the House. In recent weeks, NEA >opponents have put more and more pressure on the House leadership to honor >its 1995 commitment to eliminate funding after this fiscal year. > >However, this is just one of the many steps in the Congressional funding >process, including action at the full committee and on the House floor, >where supporters of cultural funding from both parties will mount a fight. >We have better hopes for the Senate, where members of the authorization >and appropriations committees have spoken out strongly in support of the >NEA and against House plans for elimination. Therefore, it's extremely >important for you to once again make your support known to Congress. >Please contact your congressman and both senators and urge them to: > >* (For the HOUSE) resist attempts to eliminate the NEA, > >* support at least level funding for the NEA ($99.5 million), and > >* support at least the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee funding >recommendations for the NEH ($110 million), and Office of Museum Services >($23.39 million). > >* (For the SENATE -- which has not yet made its subcommittee funding >recommendations yet) resist attempts to eliminate the NEA and support the >President's budget request for the NEA and NEH at $136 million and for the >Office of Museum Services within th e IMLS at $26 million. > >Let your legislators know that the proposed NEA cut is a radical action >that would reduce the access of our children, our less wealthy citizens, >and many rural areas to the arts. Tell them why the cultural agencies are >important to your institution, since that is what really matters to them. > >You can reach the congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121. In >addition, many legislators are reachable via e-mail and you can access >Congress via the Library of Congress web site: http://thomas.loc.gov. As >always, please send us copies of your letters as well as any responses >you receive. Please call us if you have any questions at (202) 289-9125. > >Thank you very much for your help. > >Barry Szczesny >AAM Government Affairs >[log in to unmask] > >