Advocacy Alert – December 10, 2018
Registration Now Open for Museums Advocacy Day 2019 Feb. 25-26! Plus Important Legislative Action Item Below
A new Congress convenes in 2019, facing an enormous list of policy issues, including support for museums. Together as a field we’ve defeated repeated threats to eliminate federal agencies supporting museums and have secured some funding increases, but we must keep up the pressure. Beyond federal funding, there’s tax reform, education policy, infrastructure legislation, and other issues that significantly affect the museum community. But legislators may not fully understand the impact of their decisions on museums if they don’t hear directly from you–the museums and people they represent. And there will be a host of new members of Congress we need to engage.
Museums Advocacy Day 2019 truly won’t be the same without your participation.
Register Now
(Alliance members and members of Co-convenor, Leader and Partner organizations register at the AAM Member Rate!)
- Constituents are the best advocates. In fact, polling from the Congressional Management Foundation confirms that constituent visits have more impact on legislators than any other influence group or strategy. It’s up to every museum supporter to make the case to Congress and tell their story. Your constituency is your advocacy super-power!
- Every voice matters. Whether you are a museum professional, independent professional, museum trustee or student planning to enter the museum field, your voice matters and is important to have at the table as we make the case for museums on Capitol Hill.
- Invest in yourself. Museums Advocacy Day is a unique opportunity to network with peers from your region, hear from federal agency and nonprofit leaders, and build your own professional skills. You will also learn advocacy strategies and techniques you can use on Capitol Hill, with your city council and state legislators, with local and regional funders, and to advocate for yourself throughout your career.
Learn more about Museums Advocacy Day and book your hotel room now. The 2019 event is likely to fill up quickly, so make your plans to attend and register today.
Important Legislative Update – IMLS Reauthorization: Contact Your Representative Now!
On Dec. 4 the U.S. Senate unanimously passed bipartisan legislation reauthorizing the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Museum and Library Services Act of 2018 (S. 3530). The bill has now been sent over to the U.S. House of Representatives for that chamber’s approval. With only a few days left in this Congress, we need the House to pass this bill as soon as possible.
Please take a moment to email this letter to your member of the U.S. House of Representatives asking them to pass the bipartisan Museum and Library Services Act of 2018 (S.3530) to support museums in their district and help museums continue to serve their communities.
For more information, please see the Alliance’s IMLS Reauthorization Issue Brief and our Nov. 30 alert.
Thank you for your advocacy for museums!
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