[NEohioPAL] Arts deleted from stimulus bill

[Janice Mastin-Kamps]

Dear NEOPal members,

I received this action alert from Americans for the Arts:

"This afternoon the U.S. Senate, during their consideration of the economic
recovery bill, approved an egregious amendment offered by Sen. Tom Coburn
(R-OK) that stated "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, art center, and highway beautification project."
Unfortunately, the amendment passed by a wide vote margin of 73-24, and
surprisingly included support from many high profile Senators including
Chuck Schumer of New York, Dianne Feinstein of California, Barbara Mikulski
of Maryland, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Russ
Feingold of Wisconsin, and several other Democratic and Republican Senators.

If the Coburn amendment language is included in the final conference version
of this legislation, many arts groups will be prevented from receiving
economic recovery funds from any portion of this specific stimulus bill.  It
is clear that there is still much work to be done in the Senate and in the
media about the role that nonprofit arts organizations and artists play in
the nation's economy and workforce.

Plan of Action
Arts advocates need to quickly contact Senators who voted for the Coburn
Amendment and express your extreme disappointment with their vote.  We need
these Senators to know that their vote would detrimentally impact nonprofit
arts organizations and the jobs they support in their state.  We have
crafted a customized message for you to send to your Senators based on their
vote on the Coburn Amendment.  The correct letter, customized to each of
your Senators will appear when you enter your zip code. If your Senator
voted for this funding prohibition, you can send them a message expressing
your disappointment and ask them to work to delete this language in the
final conference bill with the House.  If your Senator voted against the
Coburn Amendment, you can thank them for their support of the arts.


We need as many news articles as possible this coming week to publish
stories about the economic impact of the nonprofit arts industry and how the
recession is negatively affecting arts groups across the country.  Please
click here http://capwiz.com/artsusa/issues/alert/?alertid=12427561&type=ME
to customize an opinion editorial to your local media.  We have provided you
with easy-to-use talking points.

Americans for the Arts itself is submitting op-eds to several national
newspapers and online blogs. We are enlisting high profile leaders to
co-sign these letters as well.


Americans for the Arts is purchasing full-page ads titled "The Arts = Jobs"
in Washington's top political newspapers in Roll Call, Politico and The Hill
on Monday and Tuesday of next week.  We encourage you to post the ad on your
social network sites."

Please consider taking action by contacting our senators. I used this link:

http://capwiz.com/artsusa/issues/alert/?alertid=12612041

I am particularly offended that arts organizations are equated with casinos
and golf courses!-- all create jobs, but the arts are the voice of our
civilization!

Thank you,

Janice
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