ALA Legislative Update -- June 8, 2023

June 8, 2023

Congress has wrapped up its deal to raise the debt ceiling, which includes limits on federal spending. In the coming weeks, legislators will face hard decisions on which programs to maintain funding for – and which ones to cut. Now, Congress needs to hear from our library movement as they start writing the budget: Tell Congress to #FundLibraries!

To recap where we’ve been in the appropriations process: first, the President proposed a budget for fiscal year 2024. Next, the House and Senate will each draft their versions of appropriations bills.

Thanks to your advocacy, dozens of members of Congress have signed on to support funding for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), Innovative Approaches to Literacy program (IAL), and library facilities.

However, the debt ceiling deal will make it harder to protect funding for these vital programs. It's time to speak up again and make sure that Congress hears the message loud and clear: #FundLibraries in the FY24 budget! 

Learn more about the campaign – and find tools to share this action – at ALA’s #FundLibraries homepage.

iREAD Summer Reading Programs

Since 1981, iREAD provides high quality, low-cost resources and products that enable local library staff to motivate children, young adults, and adults to read.

Visit the iREAD website »