WASHINGTON DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined colleagues in a letter to the Acting Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) expressing serious concerns regarding President Trump’s call to eliminate the only federal agency dedicated to supporting the nation’s libraries and museums through federal LSTA grants. In the letter, the lawmakers called on the Administration to ensure continued funding, in accordance with federal law, for libraries, museums, and the critical programs and services that many Nevada communities rely on.
“The consequences of eliminating IMLS will be devastating for states, local communities, and the millions of Americans who rely on these institutions every day,” wrote the lawmakers. “These institutions are critical pillars of educational opportunity, cultural preservation, civic engagement, and economic development in our communities.”
“Museums and libraries are the cornerstone of our society that serve as protected spaces for people to learn, engage with their community, and build curiosity,” the lawmakers’ letter continued. “We urge you to uphold the law, immediately disburse all awarded LSTA grant funding to our states, […] and reverse any actions that jeopardize the future of the libraries and museums our communities rely on.”
The full letter can be found HERE.
In 2023, nearly 640,000 Nevadans benefited directly from an LSTA grant-funded program, including:
- Nevada’s Talking Books Library, a program to provide reading materials to blind or disabled individuals with an emphasis on supporting disabled veterans;
- Access to academic and research databases for K-12 schools and all of Nevada’s public universities and community colleges;
- Youth and summer reading programs, and continuing education and training programs hosted at libraries across the state;
- Traditional language and culture-based learning programs for the Pyramid Lake and Walker River Paiute Tribes; and
- Continued maintenance and upgrades at the Discovery Children’s Museum in Las Vegas.
Without intervention, all of the programs described above will be cut and ended immediately or quickly discontinued as federal funding they receive through LSTA grants will be paused, cancelled, or revoked.
Senator Rosen has been fighting back against reckless cuts to education resources and their impacts on children and our communities. Last month, she joined Senate colleagues in a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon condemning the Administration’s reckless and illegal firing of half of the workforce at the Department. Senator Rosen also issued a statement denouncing President Trump’s executive order attempting to dismantle the Department of Education.
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