Congressmen Andy Levin and Adriano Espaillat, Colleagues Urge Appropriators to Fund Libraries and Museums

UPDATE: Statement From ALA: More than 50 Representatives Urge Support for Library Facilities in FY 2023 Appropriations Bill

—End Update—

From Congressmen Andy Levin (D-MI):

Today, Congressmen Andy Levin (D-Michigan) and Adriano Espaillat (D-New York), members of the House Education and Labor Committee, led 52 colleagues in a letter to leadership of the House Appropriations Committee urging the inclusion of $20 million in the final FY23 appropriations bill for much needed library and museum infrastructure improvements.“Public libraries and museums remain a cornerstone of our communities and backbone of the nation’s education system,” wrote the lawmakers. “As a critical facet of America’s infrastructure, we must address the dire need to improve the facilities that house beneficial resources for all ages.”

“The requested funding will allow these facilities to make capital improvements without sacrificing funding they need to revamp other services post-pandemic,” the lawmakers continued. “While this funding will put merely a dent in the need for robust capital improvements, libraries and museums must remain a funding priority to build a more equitable and just society for all. Robust funding for critical infrastructure development projects will enable us to bring our libraries and museums into the 21st century and preserve these precious community resources for generations to come.”

“The American Library Association (ALA) thanks Representatives Levin and Espaillat and all the congressmembers who have pledged their support for improving America’s library buildings,” said ALA President Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada. “Improving Library and Museum Facilities will help libraries across the country provide great library spaces that serve the needs of everyone in our communities.”

Read full copy of the letter here. The letter was signed by Representatives Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Karen Bass (CA-37), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Tony Cárdenas (CA-29), Sean Casten (IL-06), Judy Chu (CA-32), David Cicilline (RI-01), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-5), Joe Courtney (CT-02), Danny Davis (IL-07), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11), Debbie Dingell (MI-12), Lloyd Doggett (TX-35), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Anna Eshoo (CA-18), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-03), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Eddie Johnson (TX-30), Henry Johnson (GA-04), Daniel Kildee (MI-05), Ann Kuster (NH-2), John Larson (CT-01), Lucy McBath (GA-6), A. Donald McEachin (VA-04), James McGovern (MA-02), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), Grace Napolitano (CA-32), Eleanor Norton (DC-At Large), Jimmy Panetta (CA-22), Bill Pascrell (NJ-09), Mary Peltola (AK-At Large), Scott Peters (CA-52), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Deborah Ross (NC-2), Mary Scanlon (PA-05), Janice Schakowsky (IL-09), Haley Stevens (MI-11), Mark Takano (CA-41), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), Peter Welch (VT-At Large) and Nikema Williams (GA-05).

Congressman Levin has been a longtime champion for libraries, museums and other arts and cultural centers. Earlier this Congress, President Joe Biden signed Congressman Levin’s Library Stabilization Fund Act into law, providing libraries $200 million to address the impacts of COVID-19 and continue to serve their communities. This was the single largest investment in our public libraries in our country’s history.

Filed under: Associations and Organizations, Funding, Libraries, Management and Leadership, News, Public Libraries