FY 2021 HOUSE appropriations letter in support of the IMLS Office of Museum Services Dear Chairwoman DeLauro and Ranking Member Cole, We write to thank the Subcommittee for its previous support, and to urge you to support robust funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services' (IMLS) Office of Museum Services (OMS) in the FY 2021 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill. Despite its small size, the IMLS Office of Museum Services is the largest dedicated source of investment in our nation's museums, which support over 700,000 jobs and contribute $50 billion annually to the U.S. economy. OMS funding plays a significant role in this economic impact by helping museums reach more visitors and spur community development. In addition to their economic benefits, OMS grants also support museums' advancements in areas such as technology, lifelong community learning, and conservation and preservation. These successes notwithstanding, only a small fraction of the nation's museums are currently being reached and many highly rated grant applications go unfunded. The demand for museum services is greater than ever. At a time when school and community resources are strained, museums are working overtime to fill the gaps. Every year, they welcome more than 55 million schoolchildren, bring art, science and cultural heritage into communities, and partner with other nonprofits to meet the specific needs of their local population. In addition, our nation's museums are opening their doors to more people than ever \Nith over 850 million visits each year - \Nith many of these visitors offered free or reduced admission. Museums are also part of a robust nonprofit community working to address a \Nide range of our nation's greatest challenges, from conducting medical research to helping veterans heal physically and psychologically, and from creating energy efficient public buildings to collecting food for needy families. Congress reauthorized IM LS in late 2018, by enacting the Museum and Library Services Act of 2018 (P. L. 115- 410). This legislation was passed by unanimous consent in the Senate and by a vote of 331 to 28 in the House, showing Congress' renewed bipartisan support for the agency's programs and a renewed commitment to its funding. The agency is highly accountable, and its competitive, peer-reviewed grants leverage significant private resources while supporting museums in every state. We urge the Subcommittee to support robust funding for the IMLS Office of Museum Services for FY 2021 to support the important work museums are doing in our districts. This vital funding \Nill aid museums of all types and enable them to continue bolstering the economy, serving our schools and communities, and preserving our cultural heritage for future generations. Again, we appreciate the Subcommittee's prior support for OMS and request this investment to strengthen and sustain the work of our nation's museums. Sincerely, PaulTonko Andy Barr Chellie Pingree David B. McKinley, P.E. U.S. Representative U.S. Representative U.S. Representative U.S. Representative For your reference, the following page lists the 198 Representatives who signed on to this letter last year, led by Representatives Tonko (D-NY), Barr (R-KY), Pingree (D-ME), and McKinley (R-VVV). This may be an indication that they will be willing to sign the FY 2022 letter this year. Don Young (R-AK) Rodney Davis (R-IL) Eliot L. Engel (D-NY) Terri Sewell (D-AL) Bill F osier (D-1 L) Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) Jesus G. "Chuy" Garcia. (D-IL) Brian Higgins (D-NY) Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ) Robin L. Kelly (D-IL) Hakeem Jeffries(D-NY) Tom O'Halleran (D-AZ) Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) John Katko (R-NY) Karen Bass (D-CA) Darin LaHood (R-IL) Peter King (R-NY) .luli11 Rrownley (n-C:A) n11niAII N I ipin!\ki(f>.. 11 ) C:11rolyn R M11loney (n-NY) Salud Carbajal (D-CA) Bobby Rush (D-IL) Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) Tony Cardenas (D-CA) Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) Joseph D. Morelle (D-NY) Judy Chu(D-CA) Bradley S. Schneider (D-1 L) Jerrold Nadler(D-NY) Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. (D-CA) Andre Carson (D-IN) Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) J. Luis Correa (D-CA) Sharice L. Davids (D-KS) Kathleen Rice (D-NY) Susan Davis (D-CA) Roger Marshall (R-KS) Elise Stefanik (R-NY) Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA) Andy Barr (R-KY)* Tom Suozzi (D-NY) Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) Brett Guthrie (R-KY) Paul D. Tonko (D-NY)' John Garamendi (D-CA) John Yarmuth (0-KY) Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) Cedric Richmond (D-LA) Joyce Beatty (D-OH) Jared Huffman (D-CA) Bill Keating (D-MA) Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH) Ro Khanna (D-CA) Joseph P. Kennedy Ill (D-MA) Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) Barbara Lee (D-CA) Stephen Lynch (0-M,A.) Steve Stivers (R-OH) Ted W. Lieu (D-CA) Jim McGovern (D-MAi Mike Turner (R-OH) Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) Seth Moulton (0-MA) Kendra Horn (D-OK) Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) Richard E. Neal (0-MA) Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) Doris Matsui (D-CA) Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) Jerry McNerney (D-CA) Lori Trahan (D-MA) Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) Anthony G. Brown (D-MD) Peter A. DeFazio (D-OR) Scott Peters ( D-CA) Jamie Raskin (D-MD) Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA) Harley Rouda (D-CA) Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) Madeleine Dean (D-PA) Linda T. Sanchez (D-CA) John P. Sarbanes (D-MD) Mike Doyle (D-PA) Adam 8. Schiff(D-CA) David Trone (D-MD) Dwight Evans (D-PA) Jackie Speier (D-CA) Jared Golden (D-ME) Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) Eric Swalwell (D-CA) Chellie Pingree (D-ME)* Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) Mark Takano (D-CA) Debbie Dingell (D-MI) Glenn "GT" Thompson (R-PA) Mike Thompson (D-CA) Daniel T. Kildee (D-MI) Jenniffer Gonzalez-Col61l (R-PR) Jason Crow (D-CO) Andy Levin (D-MI) David N. Cicilline (D-RI) Diana DeGette (D-CO) Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) Jim Langevin (D-RI) Doug Lamborn (R-CO) Haley M. Stevens (D-MI) Dusty Johnson (R-SC) JoeNeguse (D-CO) Angie Craig (D-MN) Joe Wilson (R-SC) Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) llhan Omar (D-MN) Steve Cohen(0-TN) Scott Tipton (R-CO) Collin C. Peterson (D-MN) Jim Cooper (D-TN) Joe Courtney (D-CT) Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) Colin Allred (0-TX) Jahana Hayes (D-CT) Wm. Lacy Clay (0-MO) Eddie BerniceJohnson (O-TX) Jim Himes (D-CT) Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (D-MP) Joaquin Castro (D-TX) John B. Larson (D-CT) Bennie Thompson (D-MS) Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (D·NC) Veronica Escobar (D-TX) Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) G.K. Butterfield(D-NC) Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX) Kathy Castor (D-FL) Ann Mclane Kuster (0-NH) Al Green (D-TX) Ted Deutch (D-FL) Chris Pappas (D-NH) Marc Veasey (D-TX) Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) Filemon Vela (D-TX) Al Lawson (D-FL) Andy Kim (D-NJ) Ben McAdams (D-UT) Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL) Tom Malinowski(D -NJ) Don Beyer (D-VA) Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) Donald Norcross (D-NJ) Gerald E. Connolly(D-VA) Darren Soto (D-FL) Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) A. Donald McEachin (D•VA) Frederica Wilson (D-FL) Bill Pascrell ,Jr. (D-NJ) Denver Riggleman (R-VA) Ted S. Yoho, DVM (R-FL) Donald M. Payne Jr. (D-NJ) Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA) Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) Jennifer Wexto n(D-VA) HenryC. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (0-GA) Albio Sires (D-NJ) Stacey E. Plaskett (D-VI) John Lewis (D-GA) Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ) Peter Welch (D-VT) Lucy McBath (D-GA) Deb Haaland (D-NM) Suzan DelBene (D-WA) Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) Denny Heck (D-WA) Cindy Axne (D-IA) Steven Horsford (D-NV) Pramila Jayapal (0-WA) Abby Finkenauer (D•IA) Susie Lee (D-NV) Kim Schrier (0-WA) Dave Loebsack (D-IA) Dina Titus (D-NV) Adam Smith (D-WA) Cheri Bustos (0-IL) Anthony Brindisi (D-NY) Ron Kind (D-WI) Sean Casten (D-IL) Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY) Gwen Moore (D-WI) Danny K. Davis (D-IL) Antonio R. Delgado (D-NY) David McKinley (R-WV)* *The Alliance is also aware that some legislators send their own letter in support of the Office of Museum Services, or include OMS on a letter listing their priorities to the Appropriations Committee. Those efforts are often due directly to advocate outreach to those offices, These individual letters also help our cause and are worthy of thanks on social media! These legislators included Representatives Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ) and Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA). FY 2021 SENATE appropriations letter in support of the IMLS Office of Museum Services Dear Chairman Blunt and Ranking Member Murray: We write to thank the Subcommittee for its previous support, and to urge you to support robust funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services' (IMLS) Office of Museum Services (OMS) in the fiscal year (FY) 2021 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill. Despite its small size, the IMLS Office of Museum Services is the largest dedicated source of investment in our nation's museums, which support over 700,000 jobs and contribute $50 billion to the U.S. economy each year. OMS funding plays a significant role in this economic impact by helping museums reach more visitors and spur community development.