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American Association of Museums Museum Advocacy Alert: Senate
Amendment to Bar Museums from Economic Stimulus Funds
Call Your Senators Today! Senate Votes Against Vitter Amendment to
Restrict Funds; Coburn Amendment May Still Be Considered
On Wednesday, February 4, during Senate consideration of the economic
stimulus bill, Sen. David Vitter offered an amendment (S. Amdt. 179)
that contained a provision barring funds from being used for zoos,
aquariums, or a Mob Museum. ("None of the funds appropriated or
otherwise made available in this Act may be used for any casino or
other gambling establishment, aquarium, zoo, golf course, swimming
pool, or Mob Museum.")
The Vitter amendment also called for the deletion of the proposed $55
million for the Historic Preservation Fund at the National Park
Service, and investments in high-speed rail, hybrid vehicles, climate
change research, and health information technology, among other
provisions. Fortunately, this amendment was defeated by a 32-65 vote.
You can see how your Senator voted here:
http://senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=1&vote=00037.
"I am pleased that this misguided amendment failed," said AAM
President Ford Bell. "But the fact that museums, zoos, and aquariums
are being targeted in this way illustrates the fact that we need to
educate our legislators about how museums serve as economic engines
and are a vital part of our nation's educational infrastructure."
Museums are still at risk from the additional amendment being offered
by Sen. Tom Coburn, which could occur on Thursday or Friday of this
week. Amendment No. 175, as filed, says:
"None of the amounts appropriated or otherwise made available by this
Act may be used for any casino or other gambling establishment,
aquarium, zoo, golf course, swimming pool, stadium, community park,
museum, theater, arts center, or highway beautification project,
including renovation, remodeling, construction, salaries, furniture,
zero-gravity chairs, big screen televisions, beautification, rotating
pastel lights, and dry heat saunas."
Calls to your Senators offices' are the most time-efficient way to
weigh in at this time.
Please call today and urge them to OPPOSE any amendment to prohibit
museums, zoos, or aquariums, from receiving any funding from this
bill, including the Coburn "Limitation of Funds Amendment No. 175." To
reach your Senators, call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and
ask for your Senators' offices.
Here are some talking points on how museums serve as economic engines
and educational investments in our communities:
*Please vote "no" on the Coburn amendment (No. 175 to H.R. 1) which
would ban stimulus funding for cultural institutions;
*Museums help to anchor neighborhoods and communities, and often serve
as the centerpieces of community redevelopment efforts;
*Museums are a prime destination for tourists and generate
considerable spending and revenue that spurs the economy;
*Museums provide lifelong learning opportunities for Americans of all
ages, including after-school programs for at-risk youth;
*Museums work with school districts to both train educators and help
teach the curriculum;
*Many museums are free to the public and those that have admission
fees charge only a small percentage of the actual cost of their
programming. Unfortunately, the economic downturn has forced museums
to struggle just to maintain essential services;
*Zoos and aquariums have tremendous public benefit for environmental
education and wildlife conservation. Infrastructure investments that
support these living collections will be critical in the economic
recovery of cities and localities;
*Museums employ more than a quarter-million Americans, spend an
estimated $14.5 billion annually, and rank among the top three family
vacation destinations. In fact, visitors to cultural and heritage
destinations stay 53% longer and spend 36% more money than other kinds
of tourists.
Please call today!
Visit www.speakupformuseums.org for more information about AAM's
advocacy for museums.
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