Appropriations Continues, Urge Senate to Support $2 Million Increase for IMLS

Advocacy Alert – August 15, 2018

Urge Senators to Support $2 Million Increase for IMLS

The United States Senate returns from its August recess today (Wednesday, August 15), and is soon expected to consider the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Labor-HHS-Education (S. 3158) appropriations bill. The bill includes a $2 million increase for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). According to a committee report, the proposed increase would be split equally with $1 million for IMLS Research, Analysis and Data Collection and $1 million for overall IMLS Program Administration. This latest proposed funding increase for the agency overall is in addition to the $3 million increase for the Office of Museum Services (OMS) in FY 2018 funding, to $34.7 million.

Ask Your Senators to Support the $2 Million Increase in
FY 2019 IMLS Funding

What You Can Do

This is an important time to speak up for funding for museums. Please take a moment, using our template, to contact your Senators in support of at least a $2 million increase in IMLS funding.

It takes just a few clicks to personalize and send your message.

What’s next?

On the other side of the Capitol, the House of Representatives’ companion bill (H.R. 6470) maintains OMS FY 2019 funding at $34.7 million, does not contain the $2 million increase for IMLS overall, and awaits possible House floor consideration when that chamber returns after Labor Day. After each chamber passes its bill, differences will need to be negotiated in a House-Senate conference committee with the compromise package requiring final passage by both chambers. As we have been reporting throughout this summer, this is a fluid process with both the House and the Senate working through their consideration of the annual appropriations bills. We will continue to keep you updated on new developments. Thank you for your advocacy for museums!

P.S. There’s no better way to show legislators the value of funding for museums than to show them what your museum does in your community. It’s not too late to #InviteCongress to Visit Your Museum – use our “How To” Guide to get started today!