NEA funding

House Subcommittee Recommends Huge Cut for NEA, Level Funding for
NEH, and Increase for IMLS--Action Needed

On June 17, the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee
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 (the same as last year) and $23.39 million for
the Office of Museum Services within the IMLS (a $1.39 million
increase).

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 is extremely important for you to once again make your
support known to Congress.  Please contact your congressman and both
senators to 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).

    *   (For the Senate--which has not yet made its subcommittee
        funding recommendations) resist all attempts to eliminate
        the NEA and support the President's budget request for the
        NEA and NEH at $136 million and the Office of Museum
        Services within the IMLS at $26 million.

Let your legislators know that the proposed NEA cut is a radical
action that would reduce the access of your 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 through e-mail, and you can
access Congress via the Library of Congress web site:
<url:http://thomas.loc.gov>.  As always, please send AIC copies of
your letters as well as any responses you receive. Please call us if
you have any questions at 202-452-9545.  Thank you very much for
your help.

Sarah Z. Rosenberg
Executive Director
AIC 1717 K St., NW, Ste. 301
Washington, DC 20006
202-452-9545
Fax: 202-452-9328

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:2
                   Distributed: Friday, June 20, 1997
                        Message Id: cdl-11-2-006
                                  ***