4th Of July Is Especially Important This Year

Typically, my 4th Of July posts wish everyone a fun and relaxing holiday regardless if you’re at home with family and friends or out working at one of the numerous live music events that make this particular holiday special. Some of the most prominent music ensembles working today are the US Armed Forces military bands but those ensembles are in grave danger of being de-funded thanks to a handful of Representatives playing politics.

We detailed these efforts from  House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee members Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ), Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM), and Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) which successfully added an amendment to the 2017 defense appropriations act that all but guts the entire military music program.

As a result, it is crucial that you take time to do the following in order to remove this amendment from the appropriations act:

• What: contact both of your Senators.
• When: ASAP!
• What to ask: Strike Section 10010 from S 3000, or keep the language out
• Contacting Senators: http://www.senate.gov/senators/contact

If successful, the discrepancy between the two versions of the bill will end up in a conference committee, where Senators and Representatives meet to resolve disagreements on a particular bill. This is the stage where you need to keep up pressure on your Senators and your Representative to leave out Section 10010 and to continue to allow the DOD to fund military musical unit performances.

• Contacting Your Representative: http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/

If you’ve already contacting your Senators, that’s terrific! Now you need to continue reaching out to them as many times as you can work into your schedule. Following up is a crucial step in the process; the more frequent the communication, the better the chance of success.