Anti-Museum Amendments Defeated in the Senate

During floor consideration of the fiscal year 2010 Transportation Appropriations bill (HR 3288) an amendment offered by Senators Tom Coburn (R-OK) and John McCain (R-AZ) which would have prohibited any funding in the bill for museums was defeated by a vote of 41-57.

An additional Coburn/McCain amendment, which would have waived a requirement that states set aside 10% of their overall funding for Transportation Enhancements (including historic preservation and museums, among other programs), was also defeated by a vote of 39-59. Senator Coburn had initially offered another amendment that would have prohibited funding from going to transportation museums and other TE projects, but later withdrew it.

According to the American Association of Museums, since 1992 the Transportation Enhancement Program has provided at least $110.6 million to support museums.

2 thoughts on “Anti-Museum Amendments Defeated in the Senate

  1. What do these Senators have against Transportation Museums? But they might have intended well, in these tense times, to keep the transportation budget strictly for road repair and maintenance projects. How much funding do such museums require?

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