Urge your Senators to Vote NO on Coburn Amendment 175 TODAY!

Urge your Senators to vote NO on Coburn Amendment 175

The American Association of Museums and the New England Museum Association have sent urgent emails out to their broad membership mailing lists about the current Economic Stimulus package being devised in the Senate right now. Please take a few minutes to contact your Senator (the link below leads to the AAM web site) and call or send your Senator an email with the subject line—VOTE NO on Coburn Amendment 175. Our historic house museums and other museums need to be able to participate in the Stimulus bill. This amendment is misguided.

Thank you

Donna Ann Harris


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Dear Colleagues, Our apologies if you have already received the message below from the American Association of Museums or another organization. I received the news upon returning from a terrific Conference planning meeting at the Nashua Historical Society. I have confirmed with AAM that this amendment to the economic stimulus bill has not yet been offered, so please contact your senators to urge them to vote NO to the amendment. It is vital that the museum community responds loudly and clearly when support for the educational, community-building mission of museums is being undermined. Thank you for you for your consideration.
Kate Viens
Executive Director

Senate Amendment to Bar Museums From Any Economic Recovery Funds

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."

This amendment may be offered as early as Wednesday, February 4. Call your Senators TODAY and urge them to vote NO on 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. Please call today!

Click HERE to use your zip code to identify your legislators.