ALAWON v4n39 (May 6, 1995) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/alawon/alawon-v4n39 ****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 4, Number 39 May 6, 1995 In this issue: (205 lines) HOUSE COMMITTEE WOULD MERGE LIBRARY PROGRAMS INTO BLOCK GRANT FACT SHEET: LIBRARY PROGRAM FUNDING/AUTHORIZATION ISSUES IN A CHANGED POLITICAL CLIMATE *************************************************************************** HOUSE COMMITTEE WOULD MERGE LIBRARY PROGRAMS INTO BLOCK GRANT The House Economic and Educational Opportunities Committee staff announced at a briefing on May 4 their intention to introduce on May 10 a package of four block grants for (1) Youth Workforce Preparation, (2) Vocational Rehabilitation, (3) Adult Training, and (4) Adult Education and Literacy. Title IV of this proposal, the Adult Education, Family Literacy and Library Technology Consolidation Grant, according to the committee briefing sheet: Consolidates federal library programs into the block grant mentioned above, focusing funds on library technologies for the 21st century. These funds will be used to link libraries electronically to one-stop centers, Labor Market Information networks, the Internet, and other libraries. An as yet unspecified percentage of funds paid to each governor under this title would be provided to the State library administrative agency for the following purposes: (A) Electronically connecting libraries and one-stop career centers (as established elsewhere in the proposal). (B) Establishing or enhancing linkages among libraries. (C) Assisting libraries in accessing information through electronic networks. (D) Encouraging libraries in different Federal, State, and local jurisdictions, and different types of libraries, to establish consortia and share resources. (E) Paying costs for libraries to acquire or share computer systems and telecommunications technologies. "Libraries" means all types of libraries. The proposal provides for the repeal of the Library Services and Construction Act, the new ESEA School Library Media Resources Program, and the Higher Education Act title II library programs. Funds for title IV would be distributed to states based first on adults without a high school diploma or GED, and second on the state population. A match of 25 percent is required. (The total amount of funds for title IV is not specified. Block grants usually involve significantly less funding than the total of the programs in the consolidation. Current funding for adult education and literacy programs totals about $400 million. Thus, the library percentage might amount to much less than the current $142 million in library program funding.) ACTION NEEDED: LSTA PROVIDES A LIBRARY BLOCK GRANT SUBSTITUTE ACTION NEEDED: More information will be forthcoming as these block grant proposals evolve. The message for library supporters on Library Legislative Day, May 9, to convey to Representatives is: o Include the library community's proposed Library Services and Technology Act, in simplified block grant form, in the House Opportunities Committee block grant proposal as a substitute for the May 3 draft library provision. WHY LSTA? The proposed Library Services and Technology Act, cooperatively developed by the library community, is already a major consolidation, simplification, and updating of LSCA. Simplified to essentials, it would provide a more flexible library block grant to stimulate improved library service for a broader range of government purposes and to meet the needs of the public for information. LSTA would ensure that libraries use new technology and provide outreach services: o not just for lifelong learning and literacy, but also for o organizing and providing access to government information o undergirding economic development o providing consumer health information o providing incentives for interlibrary cooperation, since most local funding serves local purposes o adapting new technologies for cross-boundary information sharing o extending outreach to those for whom library service requires extra effort or special materials (new Americans, individuals with disabilities) ************************************************************************* LIBRARY PROGRAM FUNDING/AUTHORIZATION ISSUES IN A CHANGED POLITICAL CLIMATE The following is part of the packet of Fact Sheets to be distributed on National Library Legislative Day along with other materials designed to help library advocates make informed contacts with their Senators and Representatives. LIBRARY PROGRAM FUNDING/AUTHORIZATION ISSUES IN A CHANGED POLITICAL CLIMATE Status Update | FY95 Proposed Defunding | House FY95 | Approp. House Senate Programs Funding| Committee Passed Passed Library Services and Construction Act II, public lib. construction $ 17.8 $ 15.3 $ 15.3 $ 0 VI, library literacy 8.0 8.0 0 0 Higher Education Act II II-B, library ed. & training 4.9 4.9 4.9 2.9 II-B, library research & demo. 6.5 6.5 6.5 0 TOTALS $ 34.7 $ 26.7 $ 2.9 FY95 RESCISSIONS Library supporters have already had an effect on the FY95 rescissions (or defunding) of appropriations approved for library programs by last year's Congress. Of the $34.7 million in cuts to FY95 library programs first proposed by the House Appropriations Committee, $8 million was restored on the House floor, and $23.8 million more was restored by the Senate Appropriations Committee. At that point, FY95 cuts were moderated from $34.7 million to $2.9 million. The Senate passed its version of H.R. 1158 on April 6. The Senate cut $2.9 million from library education and training. Senate and House conferees will be selected, and agreement on the final bill will be made by conferees. Both houses have to approve the conference report. If this has not occurred before Library Legislative Day, library supporters will have an opportunity to speak about the importance of library programs and the need to approve the Senate version of the bill. FY96 CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET H.R. 1219, approved by the House Budget Committee on March 23, would impose stiff budget caps on discretionary spending. Chairman John Kasich's (R-OH) list of illustrative cuts needed to reach budget targets includes $163 million in cuts over five years to categorical library programs. No details are given, but this translates roughly into a $33 million cut each year, or approximately the same as the original House rescission package for libraries zeroing out HEA II programs and LSCA II and VI. FY96 APPROPRIATIONS House and Senate appropriations subcommittees will complete hearings in May, and then schedule markup sessions to decide on recommended levels of funding for individual programs. Subcommittees will have a smaller pie to slice up because of budget caps, and staff are predicting substantial cuts in all programs for FY96. Competition among good programs will be intense. Funding for new programs, such as the ESEA III-F School Library Media Resources Program enacted in the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994, will be especially difficult. REAUTHORIZATIONS LSCA. General reaction to the library community's proposed Library Services and Technology Act has been favorable. However, during the first 100 days, neither House nor Senate have focused on reauthorization of relatively small programs such as the Library Services and Construction Act. The House Economic and Educational Opportunities Committee staff is giving some consideration to including library components in one or more of the block grants being developed in the areas of job training and adult education and literacy. NEH/NEA. Hearings have been held on the Arts and Humanities Endowments, which must be reauthorized to be funded in FY96. The Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee is expected to send a reauthorization bill to the floor. The outlook is more uncertain in the House. Many Capitol Hill observers expect the Endowments to squeak through with some kind of renewal, although both may be cut substantially. *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** ALAWON (ISSN 1069-7799) is an irregular publication of the American Library Association Washington Office, 110 Maryland Avenue, N.E., Washington, DC 20002-5675. 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