ALAWON v2n43 (October 1, 1993) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/alawon/alawon-v2n43 ****Begin File******************Begin File*******************Begin File**** *************************************************************************** ISSN 1069-7799 ALAWON ALA Washington Office Newsline An electronic publication of the American Library Association Washington Office Volume 2, Number 43 October 1, 1993 In this issue: (272 lines) RESCISSION REQUEST EXPECTED FOR LIBRARY PROGRAMS SENATE APPROVES FY94 FUNDS IITF HOLDS MEETING ON NII POSTAL REVENUE FORGONE NHPRC APPROPRIATIONS UPCOMING HEARINGS *************************************************************************** RESCISSION REQUEST EXPECTED FOR LIBRARY PROGRAMS A number of Department of Education programs are slated for termination in the Clinton/Gore National Performance Review. Very shortly, the Administration is expected to ask Congress to rescind or defund all FY94 funds just appropriated for these programs. The six library programs on the list include all currently funded programs under HEA II. LIBRARY PROGRAMS ON FY94 RESCISSION LIST (amounts in thousands) FY 1993 FY 1994 FY 1994 APPROPS. HOUSE SENATE HIGHER EDUCATION ACT II-A, College Library Technology and Cooperation Grants $ 3,873 $ 3,873 $ 3,873 II-B, Library Education and Human Resource Development 4,960 4,960 4,960 II-B, Library Research and Demonstrations 2,802 2,802 2,802 II-C, Improving Access to Research Library Resources 5,808 5,808 5,808 LIBRARY SERVICES AND CONSTRUCTION ACT II, Public Library Construction and Technology Enhancement 16,584 16,584 19,000 VI, Library Literacy Programs 8,098 8,098 8,098 TOTAL $42,125 $42,125 $44,541 On the one hand, the Administration is highlighting libraries as a key element in its _National Information Infrastructure: Agenda for Action_. On the other hand, the report and follow-up detail to the National Performance Review would eliminate most of the very programs targeted to assist libraries to use electronic technologies and networks to develop, access, and share library and information resources. The proposed library program eliminations, proposed earlier in the FY94 budget request, have already been rejected by both House and Senate. These proposals are not a new "reinventing government" idea, but as a resurrection of previous Administrations' unsuccessful attempts to eliminate libraries from Department of Education priorities. *************************************************************************** SENATE APPROVES FY94 FUNDS By a convincing majority of 82-17, the Senate on September 29 passed HR 2518, the FY94 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Bill. The bill funds all library programs at House-passed levels except LSCA II public library construction and renovation, which is increased by $2.4 million. House- Senate conferees will meet next week to resolve any differences. Shortly after that, the Administration will take the unusual step of asking Congress to reconsider funding decisions for those programs proposed for elimination. ACTION NEEDED: Despite the fact that the library community successfully defended these programs during the regular appropriations cycle, as well as during the unsuccessful House attempt to rescind FY93 funds for some of these same library programs, it appears that we must defend them one more time. Contact House and Senate members to urge them to reject any further attempts to eliminate HEA and LSCA library program funding for FY94 (which begins October 1). Members of the Senate and House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittees are the key decision-makers. Others who could be especially helpful are members of the Senate Education, Arts and Humanities Subcommittee, and the House Education and Labor Committee. An immediate campaign to protect these programs is necessary, and should begin even before an official rescission request is sent to Capitol Hill. Meanwhile, ALA is in contact with the Administration and the Department of Education to explore any possibilities for reversing the proposed elimination of library programs. *************************************************************************** IITF HOLDS MEETING ON NII Secretary of Commerce Ronald Brown, as chairman of the Administration's Information Infrastructure Task Force, hosted a meeting on September 24 "to give key private sector representatives an opportunity to ask questions and provide input to the Administration on our NII activities." Several hundred people filled the Commerce Department auditorium for the hour-long meeting, including representatives of education, library, and public interest groups. The half hour devoted to questions and answers was not nearly enough to accommodate the lines of people waiting at the microphones. Secretary Brown said the NII is the new trade route, and universal access is an important NII component. Universal access cannot be limited to just entertainment, but must include schools, hospitals, and libraries as well. The IITF, according to Brown, expects to work with nonprofit groups and others who can put the NII to much more important uses. After Brown's welcome, Mary Lowe Good, Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology, presided. Good noted that many more copies of the Administration's "The National Information Infrastructure: Agenda for Action" document had been distributed via the Internet than through print-based channels. Good introduced David Barram, Deputy Secretary-designate, who called for making change an ally. He said the IITF Advisory Council members would be appointed by the end of the year, and would include public interest group and state and local government representatives. Good then introduced a panel available to answer questions: NTIA's Larry Irving, NIST's Arati Prabhakar, OMB's Sally Katzen, OSTP's Mike Nelson, and NEC's Tom Kalil. Full contact information is provided below. In the question and answer session it became clear that the IITF itself was not yet complete; it had not yet met in a full session, and probably would not meet until December. However, working group activity is already underway. Public hearings will be held on at least some issues such as universal service. Some working groups are bringing in experts to advise them. Other methods will be used to get broad input, but few specifics were provided. Attendees were encouraged to contact panelists at addresses listed in the Agenda document: NTIA NII Office 15th Street and Constitution Avenue Washington, DC 20230 Phone: 202-482-1840 Fax: 202-482-1635 Internet: nii@ntia.doc.gov Ronald H. Brown, Secretary of Commerce Chair, Information Infrastructure Task Force 15th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20230 Phone: 202-482-3934 Fax: 202-482-4576 Internet: nii@ntia.doc.gov Larry Irving, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information Chair, IITF Telecommunications Policy Committee 15th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20230 Phone: 202-482-184 Fax: 202-482-1635 Internet: li@ntia.doc.gov Arati Prabhakar, Director National Institute of Standards and Technology Chair, IITF Applications Committee NIST, Administration Building, Room A1134 Gaithersburg, MD 20899 Phone: 301-975-2300 Fax: 301-869-8972 Internet: arati@micf.nist.gov Sally Katzen, Administrator Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Office of Management and Budget Chair, IITF Information Policy Committee New Executive Office Building, Room 350 Washington, DC 20503 Phone: 202-395-4852 Fax: 202-395-3047 Mike Nelson, Special Assistant Information Technology Office of Science and Technology Old Executive Office Building, Room 423 Washington, DC 20500 Phone: 202-395-6175 Fax: 202-395-4155 Internet: mnelson@ostp.eop.gov Tom Kalil, Director of Science and Technology National Economic Council Old Executive Office Building, Room 233 Washington, DC 20500 Phone: 202-456-2801 Fax: 202-456-2223 Internet: kalil@arpa.mil *************************************************************************** POSTAL REVENUE FORGONE On September 23, a House-Senate Conference Committee reached agreement on HR 2403, the Treasury, Postal Service and General Government Appropriations Bill for FY94, paving the way for final passage in both chambers. The conferees' agreement included reform of nonprofit mail rates. In general, the legislation calls for nonprofit postal rates to increase by about 4 percent in third-class, 2 percent in second-class, and three quarters of one percent in special fourth-class library rate, as well as imposing new restrictions on advertising in preferred-rate mail. The estimated date for the new rates to take effect would be mid-October. The effective date of the eligibility restrictions was moved to January 1, 1994, when new postal regulations would be adopted limiting the kinds of advertising allowed in third-class mail. The conferees added an amendment proposed by Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) which will allow commercial publishers and distributors to mail books and other materials at the library rate if the items have been specifically requested by libraries, schools, colleges, and others eligible to use the 4th class library rate. *************************************************************************** NHPRC APPROPRIATIONS In another section of the Treasury, Postal Service and General Government Appropriations bill, conferees provided $195,482,000 for the National Archives and Records Administration, an increase of $2,300,000 over the requested level. The report language indicated that "$500,000 shall be made available to support planning activities on the renovation of the FDR Presidential Library in Hyde Park, New York, and $500,000 for a feasibility study on integrating the Archives collection into Internet and other on- line systems." The report also appropriates $5,250,000 for the National Historic Publications and Records Commission, a compromise between the House level of $4,000,000 and the Senate level of $6,000,000. *************************************************************************** UPCOMING HEARINGS The following hearings were announced in the _Congressional Record_ of September 30, 1993. Locations, dates, and times of hearings are subject to change. SENATE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY. Subcommittee on Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks. Hearing on S. 1346, to replace the Copyright Royalty Tribunal with copyright arbitration royalty panels to be appointed and convened by the Librarian of Congress. Tuesday, October 5, 10:00 am, SD-226. HOUSE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY. Subcommittee on Science. Markup of the National Science Foundation reauthorization. Wednesday, October 6, 9:30 am, 2318 Rayburn. HOUSE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY. Subcommittee on Technology, Environment and Aviation. Hearing on Information Technology and Government Efficiency. Thursday, October 7, 9:30 am, 2325 Rayburn. *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** ALAWON (ISSN 1069-7799) is an irregular publication of the American Library Association Washington Office, 110 Maryland Avenue, N.E., Washington, DC 20002-5675. Internet: alawash@alawash.org; Phone: 202-547-4440; Fax: 202-547-7363. Editor and List Owner: Fred King (fdk@alawash.org). All or part of ALAWON may be redistributed, with appropriate credits. ALAWON is available free of charge and is available only in electronic form. To subscribe, send the message "subscribe ala-wo [your name]" to listserv@uicvm (Bitnet) or listserv@uicvm.uic.edu (internet). Back issues and other documents are available from the list server. 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