Advocacy Alert – May 2, 2018

Alliance and Sam Noble Museum Testify Before House Appropriations Subcommittee

On Thursday, April 26 Michael A. Mares, PhD, Director, Sam Noble Museum at the University of Oklahoma testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies on behalf of the American Alliance of Museums in support of FY 2019 funding for the Office of Museum Services (OMS) at the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

As previously reported by AAM, despite good news for museums in final FY 2018 funding, several federal agencies (IMLS, NEA and NEH) that provide critical support to museums and related organizations continue to face elimination threats in the President’s budget proposals. AAM appreciates the opportunity to testify before the subcommittee, and to be represented by the Sam Noble Museum, in support of the critical work of IMLS and museums around the country.

Watch Dr. Mares testify and the following remarks from Subcommittee Chairman Cole (OK) and Ranking Member DeLauro (CT) from the 10:00-18:20 minutes mark. See his full oral and written testimony.

Also in April, AAM submitted written testimony in support of funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, Smithsonian Institution and Historic Preservation Programs to the Senate Appropriations Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Subcommittee, and in support of programs that support STEM Education programs at the National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to the House Appropriations Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

What You Can Do

The annual appropriations process is currently underway and legislators will be making decisions about FY 2019 funding levels for IMLS and other agencies and programs that support museums. Use our templates to contact your legislators in support of IMLS, NEA and NEH. It takes just a few clicks to personalize and send your message.

Visit our full Advocacy Resources to see all of the ways you can advocate for museums today.