Advocacy Alert – April 22, 2019

Two Action Items for Museum Advocates

1. Urge Your Representative to Support the Office of Museum Services

Following the Alliance’s recent live testimony on Capitol Hill (starting at the 1 hr 36 min mark), the annual congressional appropriations process is ramping up and is expected to move faster than past years. Immediately following the current Congressional recess, the House FY 2020 Labor-HHS-Education and Related Agencies appropriations measure, which includes funding for the Office of Museum Services (OMS) within the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), is expected to be considered by the House Appropriations Labor-HHS-Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee April 30 and then by the full House Appropriations Committee on May 8.

Ask Congress to Support FY 2020 OMS Funding Now

What You Can Do 

Now is a critical time to make sure your Representative knows how much their support of this funding matters to constituents like you. We urge you to take a moment right now, using our template, to contact your Representative in support of OMS funding at IMLS. It takes just a few clicks to personalize and send your message.

2. Thank Senators for Support of OMS

In addition to writing your Representative, we also ask that you thank your Senator(s) who signed on to support funding for OMS: Building on strong support in the U.S. House of Representatives, a record 41 U.S. Senators joined a letter calling for robust FY 2020 funding for the Office of Museum Services (OMS) at the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

This success is possible in part due to your strong response to recent action alerts, which underscores the impressive showing at Museums Advocacy Day 2019 in February, when 300 museum supporters made the case in 365 congressional offices spanning nearly all 50 states. Advocates shared stories about their museums’ educational and community value, and also presented critical data about their economic impact and deep public support.

Please Take a Moment to Thank Your Senators on Social Media 

Senators need to know that their actions are noticed and appreciated by the museums they represent. So here’s the best way to thank them:

1. Use our Legislator Lookup page to find your Senators and their Twitter and Facebook accounts.
2. Check the list at the bottom of this alert to see if your Senator signed.
3. Say “Thank You!” You can use our sample posts to get started. Be sure to use #museumsadvocacy. Also tag the Alliance (@AAMers) and your Senators in your posts and tweets.

Sample Social Media Posts: 

• Twitter – [Your museum] thanks [Senator _______________ ] for signing on to this year’s OMS letter! Museums are essential. @AAMers #museumsadvocacy

• Facebook – Museums are essential! We join the American Alliance of Museums in thanking [Senator _______________ ] for signing on to this year’s OMS letter and for your support of [your museum]. #museumsadvocacy

FY 2020 Senate Office of Museum Services Letter Signers
All signers listed alphabetically by state below. Letter leaders in bold. 
Find your legislators.  

• Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ)
• Diane Feinstein (D-CA)
• Kamala D. Harris (D-CA)
• Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
• Chris Murphy (D-CT)
• Thomas R. Carper (D-DE)
• Christopher A. Coons (D-DE)
• Brian Schatz (D-HI)
• Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI)
• Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)
• Richard J. Durbin (D-IL)
• Edward J. Markey (D-MA)
• Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
• Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD)
• Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
• Susan M. Collins (R-ME) 
• Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME)
• Gary C. Peters (D-MI)
• Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
• Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
• Tina Smith (D-MN)
• John Tester (D-MT)
• Margaret Wood Hassan (D-NH)
• Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
• Cory A. Booker (D-NJ)
• Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
• Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
• Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)
• Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
• Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) 
• Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
• Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
• Ron Wyden (D-OR)
• Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-PA)
• Jack Reed (D-RI)
• Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
• Tim Kaine (D-VA)
• Bernard Sanders (I-VT)
• Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
• Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
• Joe Manchin III (D-WV)

Thank you for your advocacy for museums!