Hawaii Historians and History Educators: Please Contact Sen. Inouye Today

Aloha Kakahiaka:

As the founder and head of History Education Hawaii, Inc., formerly the History Education Council of Hawaii, I am writing today for your help about a critical situation. This regards continued funding for

the Teaching American History Grant program in 2011.

As you know, the federal government is currently operating under a two week short term Continuing Resolution (CR) while both houses of Congress attempt to resolve their differences in how they will approach funding the last five months of 2011’s federal operating budget.

There is a great deal of disagreement on the issue of how this will happen and no one is completely sure of what the final result will be.

The U.S. House’s recommendation (HR1) calls for the elimination of many programs including the Teaching American History grant program. The U.S. Senate’s version provides for cuts in many areas but preserves TAH at the same level as in 2010. In the next weeks, a conference committee from both houses will be meeting to hopefully hammer out a compromise in this area and that is where we need your

help.

I believe that it has been the advocacy efforts of the National Council for History Education (NCHE) that has kept TAH in front of key Senators. While other areas of educational professional development were cut in the two-week CR, TAH was not one of them. It was preserved. That tells me that our efforts are

connecting.

To that end I am asking for help. If you are concerned about history education and preserving the Teaching American History Grant program please contact Sen. Inouye. We share the view with our colleagues at the NCHE that Senator Inouye is perhaps the most key member of the Senate on this decision.

Please go to this link and contact Senator Daniel Inouye today. Thank you!

Historically yours,

Jeffrey Bingham Mead

History Education Hawaii, Inc.