Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and U.S. Representative Chris Pappas (NH-01) are calling on President Donald Trump, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, Domestic Policy Council Director Vince Haley, and Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Director Alex Meyer to immediately reverse the President’s March 14 Executive Order dismantling the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and implement all Congressionally appropriated funds for IMLS and its entities.
The delegation wrote, in part: “We write with dismay at your attempt to eliminate the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) ‘to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.’ We urge you to immediately reverse your March 14 Executive Order regarding IMLS and implement all Congressionally appropriated funds for IMLS and its entities. No agency authorized by Congress can be dismantled without another act of Congress. IMLS was established by an act of Congress in 1996.”
They continued: “The Granite State received more than $1.5 million from IMLS in FY2024 alone, with the money going to statewide initiatives including an interlibrary loan system, the creation of a digital library, and literacy projects like the Summer Reading Program. From the Museum of the White Mountains to the Currier Museum of Art, New Hampshire’s museums are educational assets that make world-class exhibits accessible to students and families. They also power our local economies: The American Alliance of Museums and Oxford Economics estimate that museums supported 3,574 jobs and contributed $265 million to our state’s economy in 2017.”
They concluded: “American support for IMLS transcends party lines. We urge you to focus on supporting museums and libraries and reconsider your Executive Order that would strip educational, economic, and technical assistance opportunities from our constituents.”
The full text of the letter can be found here.
New Hampshire’s federal delegation has been outspoken about the devastating impact that dismantling the IMLS will have on our libraries, communities, and economy. Last week, Congresswoman Goodlander met with Granite Staters at the Colebrook Public Library and heard firsthand the important role our libraries play in our communities.
