Trump's Budget Threatens Library Funding, Congress Fights Back

0:00President Trump's budget for fiscal year 2027 wants to wipe out federal funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The main agency supporting libraries and museums across the country. He's asking for just $6 million to handle its closure. A big shift from the $292 million Congress approved this. Year. Congress shot down a similar request last year, and key lawmakers aren't buying at this time either. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, who chairs the relevant Senate subcommittee, says she's always back libraries for their community boost, and her panel, makes the final call. Democrats like Senator Tammy Baldwin and Representative Rosa Deloro are fired up, calling the plan outdated and vowing to fight hard. Library and museum groups echo that, stressing how these spots help everyone from job seekers to students with research and story times. The administration tried dismantling the agency with a March 2025 executive order, but

1:00legal pushback won out. A settlement with library associations protects grants and operations, and the Justice Department just dropped an appeal against Attorney General, who blocked the shutdown. Expect Congress to push back again with strong bipartisan support, keeping libraries funded as essential community hubs while the budget battle heats up. That's your Anchorage News Today update, AI powered and always on.