March 6, 2020

ALA Advocacy Alert: Contact Your Representatives

The process for the 2021 federal budget is now in full swing, and we have another important update on the fight to #FundLibraries: the "Dear Appropriator" letters have been released in the House and Senate. The LSTA letter is being jointly led by Reps. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) and Don Young (R-AK). The IAL letter is being led by Reps. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Don Young (R-AK) and Jim McGovern (D-MA). Members of Congress rely heavily on constituent feedback to determine funding priorities during the budget cycle, which is why it's so critical to make sure your message is heard loud and clear. We cannot maintain or grow national library funding without your voice conveying the hard work you and the entire library community have put in. 

Please help safeguard America's libraries by urging your Representative to #FundLibraries. Please contact your representative and ask them to sign on to both letters. The House deadline is March 10th. Contact your Representative now, as letters will close a few days before the deadline. Ron Kind and Gwen Moore are the only two that have signed the LSTA letter. None of our state representatives have signed the IAL letter. Those that live in District 7, formerly represented by Sean Duffy, have no one to contact at this time.
 
To email your Representative (using the ALA portal) please click here.
To find the phone number or direct email of your Representative please click here.