I received this today from Senator Brown's office.
"Thank you for sharing your opposition to Senate Amendment 309 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).I can understand your frustration with my vote on this particular aspect of the economic recovery bill.
Throughout my Congressional career, I have been a strong and committed supporter of the arts and humanities. However, for this vote, I had to make a very difficult decision.I believe that we must pass the recovery bill as soon as possible so that we can create jobs and rehabilitate our faltering economy.
The unemployment rate is at dangerous levels, and we cannot afford to go back and forth endlessly on the language of this bill. The current economic recovery legislation provides a temporary increase to the Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP), which will give more money to states for Medicaid services. This increase, as well as several other provisions delivering crucial social services to our state, were agreed to after lengthy bipartisan discussions. I fear that further partisan disagreements on spending priorities -- including funding for arts and cultural institutions -- could delay or completely derail passage of this legislation. This, in turn, would jeopardize life-saving health and social services for Ohio.
I agree with you that museums, theaters, and other cultural institutions create jobs and stimulate local economies. As the Senate continues working on ARRA, I will work to see that the prohibition on arts and cultural institutions can be removed. Please also be assured that as Congress considers further appropriations and budget legislation, I will continue my support for strong arts funding.Thank you again for sharing your thoughts with me.
Sincerely,
Sherrod Brown"
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