[Scmusenet] FW: AAM Washington Wire: Legislative Update

Fri Jul 17 08:36:58 MDT 2009

Please read this important message regarding legislation that affects
the Museum Community. 

Thank you, 

Jill Koverman

President, SCFM 

From: Registrars Committee of the AAM [mailto:RCAAM at SI-LISTSERV.SI.EDU]
On Behalf Of Benas, Jeanne
Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2009 1:21 PM
To: RCAAM at SI-LISTSERV.SI.EDU
Subject: AAM Washington Wire: Legislative Update

<http://www.CongressWeb.com/Assets/images/SpeakUp_legislative_fnl_rgb.jp
g> 

In this issue: 

*	Charitable Giving Limitation Back on the Table - ACT NOW! 
*	Funding for IMLS Office of Museum Services 
*	Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Interior Funding Bill
*	Amendment to Block Funds for Museum Earmark Defeated in Senate

Charitable Giving Limitation Back on the Table - ACT NOW!
Earlier this year, President Obama proposed limiting the deductibility
of charitable donations for those in the upper income levels. The
proposal was designed to help pay for his comprehensive health care
reform initiative.  At first, the measure was not received well on
Capitol Hill, with several senior members of the tax-writing committees
calling it "dead on arrival." But now, with the health care reform
debate heating up, the measure and a revised version are back on the
table.

On July 15, the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee
passed its version of a health care reform bill - estimated to cost $615
billion over 10 years - but financing mechanisms were not identified.
The Senate Finance Committee
<http://www.congressweb.com/t/l/?FQMQDCNZVMGBKVP>  is currently debating
health care reform legislation and is expected to produce a version of
health care reform legislation that includes measures to offset the high
cost of the legislation. The Committee is looking at a number of
options, including a modified version of President Obama's provision to
limit the deductibility of charitable donations. The modified version
would keep current deduction levels in place when certain tax brackets
change in 2011, effectively limiting the deductibility for donors whose
tax rate will increase.  This modified proposal is estimated to raise
$68 billion over ten years, a little more than 11% of the total health
care bill's cost. 

"Limiting the deductibility of charitable gifts would really hurt
museums," said AAM President Ford W. Bell.  "Every member of the Senate
Finance Committee <http://www.congressweb.com/t/l/?FQMQDCNZVMHTMRN>
needs to hear from constituents about how this measure could affect your
museum's bottom line. Health care reform is sorely needed in America,
but a threat to charitable giving could actually force museums to lay
off staff, or cut health benefits for current employees, which would be
a step in the wrong direction."

Please take a moment to TELL CONGRESS TODAY
<http://www.congressweb.com/t/l/?FQMQDCNZVMPFSCL>  that charitable
giving is the lifeblood of museums, and that limiting the deductibility
could have a devastating effect on your museum.

Funding for IMLS Office of Museum Services 
On Friday, July 17, the House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to
take up the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education
appropriations bill, which provides funding for the Institute of Museum
and Library Services (IMLS) and its Office of Museum Services (OMS). On
July 10, an appropriations subcommittee approved an overall funding
level for the entire bill of $730.5 billion - about $52 million less
than President Obama requested. At press time, no details about the
subcommittee's funding level for OMS had been made public.

Funding for the IMLS Office of Museum Services (currently at $35
million) has been essentially flat for the past several fiscal years,
despite increased attendance at museums, collections subject to
increasing risk, and a growing need among museum staff for professional
development in conservation, education, and technology.  The vital
services museums provide to schools and communities are in greater
demand than ever.  Unfortunately, museums are struggling significantly
in these difficult economic times, being forced to cut back on hours,
educational programming, community services and jobs.

It is more important than ever to tell Congress that museums - and
specifically, the Office of Museum Services at IMLS - deserve increased
federal support in FY10.  
Click here <http://www.congressweb.com/t/l/?FQMQDCNZVMFYAAU>  to send a
letter to your Representative requesting $50 million (a $15 million
increase) for the Office of Museum Services.  This critical funding will
support educational programming, technology upgrades, professional
development, and preservation of treasured collections at museums of all
types.

President Obama's budget request included level funding for OMS at $35
million.

Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Interior Funding Bill
On June 25, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the FY 2010
Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations bill (H.R.
2996) which includes funding for the National Endowment for the
Humanities (NEH), the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and the
Save America's Treasures and Preserve America programs. The bill
includes a total of $161.3 million each for the National Endowment for
the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts, an increase of
$6.3 million above the 2009 enacted level for each agency. The Senate
bill would provide the Save America's Treasures program with $20 million
and Preserve America with $3.175 million.

The next day, the House of Representatives approved its version of H.R.
2996, including $170 million each for NEH and NEA. Within the Historic
Preservation Fund the House approved $46.5 million for state historic
preservation offices, $8 million for tribal historic preservation
offices, $30 million for Save America's Treasures and $6.175 million for
Preserve America. This bill also includes funding for National Heritage
Areas, national conservation programs and funds for agency management of
heritage resources. 

The full Senate will next take up the bill, and then the House and
Senate will reconcile any differences between the two versions.

Amendment to Block Funds for Museum Earmark Defeated in Senate
During consideration of a spending bill in the U.S. Senate, an amendment
was offered to strike $200,000 that was intended for the Durham Museum
in Omaha. The amendment, offered on July 6 by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ),
was defeated by a vote 31-61, so the funding stayed in the bill, which
passed the Senate by a vote of 67-25.

Debate ensued during consideration of the FY2010 Legislative Branch
Appropriations Bill, which funds a variety of government entities
including Congress, the Library of Congress, the Capitol Police, and the
Government Accountability Office. 

The $200,000 was requested by Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) and was
designated to help the museum digitize the roughly half-million images
in its photo archive. The "earmark" is the only one contained in the
overall spending bill.  The bill now must be reconciled with the
House-passed version and then will be sent to the president.

P.S. on National Service Initiative
If you - or your museum - are participating in President Obama's "United
We Serve" national service initiative, please let us know
<mailto:gsilberglied at aam-us.org>  about it. To learn more about this
effort, visit www.serve.gov
<http://www.congressweb.com/t/l/?FQMQDCNZVMZKMYJ> .

To get involved in more advocacy for museums visit
www.speakupformuseums.org
<http://www.congressweb.com/t/l/?FQMQDCNZVMIRPTK>  today! 

To make a donation to further AAM's field-wide advocacy efforts, CLICK
HERE <http://www.congressweb.com/t/l/?FQMQDCNZVMNWRWQ> .

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