ALAWON v4n46 (May 23, 1995) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/alawon/alawon-v4n46 ****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 46 May 23, 1995 In this issue: (109 lines) UPDATE ON THE ENDOWMENTS: H.R. 1557 INTRODUCED TO PHASE-OUT NEA/NEH HOLLINGS-HARKIN AMENDMENT FALLS TO POINT-OF-ORDER FINAL ALERT: TELECOM. BILL, H.R. 1555 SCHEDULED FOR FULL HOUSE COMMERCE COMMITTEE MARKUP ON MAY 24 *************************************************************************** UPDATE ON THE ENDOWMENTS: H.R. 1557 INTRODUCED TO PHASE-OUT NEA/NEH On May 3, Rep. William Goodling (R-PA), chair of the Economic and Educational Opportunities Committee, introduced H.R. 1557, a bill which would authorize the National Endowment for the Arts( NEA), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Institute for Museum Services (IMS) for FY96, 97, and 98. This bill would also repeal the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 effective October 1, 1998. It is a gradual phase-out of the Endowments. It does not phase-out the IMS and reauthorizes it at its current level. The bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Randy Cunningham (R-CA), chair of the subcommittee on Early Childhood, Youth and Families. Rep. Pat Williams (D- MT), former chair of the authorizing subcommittee and veteran of many NEA/NEH reauthorization battles, has introduced a bill to reauthorize the Endowments for five years and create an "American Cultural Trust" which would then support NEA/NEH, IMS, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. In the Senate, it is expected that a reauthorization bill will be introduced soon. In April, the National Humanities Alliance, a coalition to which ALA belongs, sent a letter on behalf of its members to Senator Nancy Kassebaum (R-KS), chair of the Senate Education and Labor Committee, urging reauthorization of the Endowments. The letter asked the committee to "maintain the legislative framework of the full range of public, educational, and scholarly program through which the National Endowment for the Humanities has effectively served the public interest and the needs of citizens throughout the nation." Both Endowments are in the difficult position of having no authorization, and the appropriations committees in both the House and Senate are unwilling to fund programs without authorization. Appropriators are expected to work on appropriations bills early in June. *************************************************************************** HOLLINGS-HARKIN AMENDMENT FALLS TO POINT-OF-ORDER In Senate action on Monday evening, May 22, the amendment offered by Senators Hollings and Harkin to restore budget cuts in education failed to be voted on. Instead a point of order was called against the amendment (an objection that the amendment is in violation of a rule) and the vote on the point of order carried by 51-47. It is expected that Senator Harkin will offer another amendment today to restore $28 billion; $12 billion to offset proposed cuts in student loans and $16 billion for discretionary education programs to be offset by closing corporate business tax loopholes. *************************************************************************** FINAL ALERT: TELECOM. BILL, H.R. 1555 SCHEDULED FOR FULL HOUSE COMMERCE COMMITTEE MARKUP ON MAY 24 The House Commerce Committee is expected to conduct its markup of H.R. 1555, the Telecommunications Act of 1995 tomorrow, May 24 at 10 am. Observers of the committee's activities suggest it is not too late to keep those calls, faxes, and emails coming into the Commerce Committee members from library supporters. Advocates are asked to encourage committee members to support provisions that provide for affordable or incremental- cost based access for schools and libraries. See ALAWON Vol. 4, Issue No. 44, May 19, for additional information about this legislation. Update on committee activities as soon as available. *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** 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. Contributing to this issue: Mary Rae Costabile; Editor: Lynne E. Bradley (leb@alawash.org). 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. To find out what's available, send the message "send ala-wo filelist" to the listserv. The ALA-WO filelist contains the list of files with the exact filename and filetype. To get a particular file, issue the command "send filename filetype" to the listserv. Do not include the quotes in your commands. All materials in the newsletter subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial purposes with appropriate credits. For other reprinting or redistribution, address requests to the ALA Washington Office (alawash@alawash.org). *************************************************************************** ***End of file******************End of file******************End of file***