Membership Benefits
AFM Legislative Department
Especially in this time of crisis we need someone looking out for the interests of musicians in Washington D.C. Arts organizations are just starting to recover from the pandemic and musicians are just starting to return to work. The AFM legislative department worked with allies to make sure that arts organizations and artists were not forgotten when the CARES Act was drafted, and the department continues to remind our political leaders that artists were the first to be shut down and will likely be the last to return to business as usual.
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Are you also concerned about Performance Rights, Carry-On Instruments, Visas/Immigration, Arts in Education/NEA Funding, Net Neutrality, White Spaces, or African Ivory? If so, the AFM Legislative Department, headed by AFM Legislative-Political Director Alfonso Pollard, has your back.
The Office advocates for policies and legislation that will improve the lives of professional musicians. The Office also develops and maintains strong working relationships with key members of Congress and their staffs in both the House and the Senate as well as building coalitions of like-minded organizations.
The Office champions the AFM's position on issues such as:
- Pension reform
- Copyright law and piracy
- Media consolidation
- Performance right in sound recordings
- African Ivory
- Instruments as airline baggage
The new TEMPO Leadership Program allows members to step up their commitment to our political efforts by contributing a one-time annual payment of $52.00. Contributions are used to help keep friends in congress who are committed to supporting music and in particular federal policy issues that help our player conference artists. To join, please contact us.
AFM TEMPO may accept contributions only from members of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada, executive and professional staff of AFM and its affiliates, and their immediate families living in the same household. Only United States citizens and lawful permanent United States residents may contribute. AFM TEMPO makes contributions and expenditures in federal, state and local elections. All contributions are voluntary and an individual may refuse to contribute without any reprisal. Any guideline contribution amount is merely a suggestion and an individual is free to contribute more or less and AFM will not favor or disadvantage the individual by reason of the amount of a contribution or a decision not to contribute. Federal law requires us to use our best efforts to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation and name of employer of individuals whose contributions exceed $200 in a calendar year. Contributions and gifts to AFM TEMPO are not tax deductible. Contributions by foreign nationals, corporations or companies are prohibited.
