AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF MUSEUMS
ACT NOW Museum Advocacy Update
Washington Wire
In this issue:
- Charitable Giving Provisions Enacted
- Congress Passes Bill to Fund Government Agencies Until March 2009
- Orphan Works Legislation Passes Senate
- Travel Promotion Act Passes House
Charitable Giving Provisions Enacted
A number of charitable giving provisions – including a restoration and extension of the IRA Charitable Rollover through the end of 2009 – were enacted as part of legislation designed to address the financial crisis. The bill, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, was signed into law on October 3.
The IRA Charitable Rollover is a tax incentive that allows individuals aged 70½ and older to donate up to $100,000 from their Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) to public charities without having to count the distributions as taxable income. Since enactment in August 2006, the IRA Charitable Rollover has generated a significant amount of new charitable giving.
The bill also temporarily lifts the limits on individual and corporate cash contributions to Midwestern flood relief, increases the mileage deduction for volunteers, and exempts from taxable income mileage reimbursements for driving that assists flood recovery.
For detailed information on charitable giving and other tax provisions included in the bill, click here.
Congress Passes Bill to Fund Government Agencies until March 2009
With the annual appropriations process stalled, President Bush has signed into law a bill to keep the government funded until March 6, 2009. Most federal agencies – including the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and other agencies that fund museums – will continue operating at their FY08 levels until the next president and Congress determine final FY 2009 spending levels.
This temporary mechanism to keep the government functioning – referred to as a “continuing resolution” or “CR” – is a common occurrence when the appropriations process has not been completed by October 1, the start of the new fiscal year.
Orphan Works Legislation Passes Senate
A bill that could help bring copies of Orphan Works out of museum storage rooms passed the Senate on September 26. Such works - where a copyright holder cannot be located or identified - are often not made available to the public for fear of legal action if a copyright holder later comes forward.
S.2913, the Shawn Bentley Orphan Works Act, would provide a limitation on judicial remedies in copyright infringement cases involving orphan works. The bill, as passed by the Senate, is supported by a number of organizations, including AAM, the Association of Art Museum Directors, the College Art Association, the American Library Association, and the Association of American Universities.
While Senate passage is a major step forward in addressing this important issue, House passage does not appear likely before the end of the 110th Congress.
For more information on this legislation, click here.
Travel Promotion Act Passes House
A bill aimed at increasing travel to the U.S. from abroad passed the House on September 25. The bill – H.R.3232 in the House and S. 1661 in the Senate – would establish a public-private partnership to promote tourist, business, and scholarly travel to the United States. The bill will work across federal agencies to promote U.S. travel, including addressing perceptions in other countries regarding U.S. entry policies.
"With museums facing a decrease in tourism and visitors, I am glad that AAM joined the Travel Industry Association to help move this bill forward," said AAM President Ford Bell. "There is a lot more we can and should do to promote tourism, and this bill is a good first step."
Two million fewer overseas travelers visited the United States in 2007 than in 2000. The decline in overseas travel since 9/11 has cost America 46 million visitors, $140 billion in lost visitor spending and $23 billion in lost tax revenue.
For detailed information on this legislation, click here.
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