A Senate Amendment to Bar Museums from Any Economic Recovery Funds (Stimulus Package) could be offered today.

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) has introduced an amendment to prohibit any funds in the economic stimulus bill from going to museums.

The language of the amendment, (Amendment No. 175, as filed) is, “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.”

Please take a minute to call your Senators TODAY and urge them to vote NO on the Coburn “Limitation of Funds Amendment No. 175.”

Most likely a staff member for your Senator will only record your opinion on the amendment, however if given the opportunity you can mention that nonprofit arts organizations and their audiences generate $166.2 billion in economic activity every year, support 5.7 million jobs, and return nearly $30 billion in government revenue every year. Plus, every $1 billion spent by these organizations– and their audiences – results in almost 70,000 full-time-equivalent jobs.

To reach your Senators, call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for your Senators’ offices. Or find the contact information for your representatives on this website http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/ Please call today as soon as possible. It is vital that we address these negative opinions regarding the economic value of museums. Urge your Senator’s to vote NO on the Coburn “Limitation of Funds Amendment No. 175.”

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 5th, 2009 at 1:00 pm.