ALAWON v4n47 (May 25, 1995)
URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/alawon/alawon-v4n47

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                                                             ISSN 1069-7799
                                  ALAWON
                      ALA Washington Office Newsline
                     An electronic publication of the
              American Library Association Washington Office

                            Volume 4, Number 47
                               May 25, 1995

   In this issue: (105 lines)
     HOUSE COMMERCE COMMITTEE FAILS TO ADD EDUCATION-LIBRARY AMENDMENT TO
          TELECOMMUNICATIONS BILL, HR 1555
     SECRETARY RILEY ANNOUNCES READ-WRITE-NOW PROGRAM

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   HOUSE COMMERCE COMMITTEE FAILS TO ADD EDUCATION-LIBRARY AMENDMENT TO
                     TELECOMMUNICATIONS BILL, HR 1555

Over two days of House Commerce Committee meetings to markup HR 1555, the
House telecommunications bill, no amendments were presented to address
affordable access for libraries or schools.  Though there was encouraging
word earlier in the week that some type of amendment might be added by
sympathetic committee members, no representative put forth such an
amendment related to schools or libraries on either day of the markup (May
24-25).

There is an unconfirmed report that school and library supporters on the
committee were dissuaded from putting forth their amendment in return for
another amendment being withheld regarding universal service.  Rep.
Christopher Cox (R-CA) had spoken at an earlier committee meeting about
submitting an amendment that would have limited universal service
provisions only to basic voice telephony.  Under Cox's amendment, universal
service rules would not have applied to advanced telecommunications
services.

At this time the only provision in HR 1555 relating to education reads as
follows:

     Sec. 246 (b) (5)...EDUCATIONAL ACCESS TO ADVANCED
     TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES.--To the extent that a common carrier
     establishes advanced telecommunications services, such plan
     should include recommendations to ensure access to advanced
     telecommunications services for students in elementary and
     secondary schools.

The education/library coalition working on trying to get improved language
for libraries and schools in HR 1555, has also been lobbying to preserve
the Snowe-Rockefeller-Kerrey-Exon amendment in S. 652.  Grassroots contact
on the Senate side will need to be renewed and strengthened.  Tentative
date for the Senate telecommunications bill to go to the Senate floor is
June 5.  More on this legislation when information is available.   (See
ALAWON, Vol. 4, Nos. 37 and 44 for background on these bills.)

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             SECRETARY RILEY ANNOUNCES READ-WRITE-NOW PROGRAM

On Monday, May 22, Secretary of Education Richard Riley visited Beechtree
Elementary School in Fairfax, Virginia, in order to announce the Department
of Education's summer program to encourage reading and writing, READ WRITE
NOW.  Secretary Riley talked to a large group of students about the
importance as well as the fun of reading.

The READ WRITE NOW program is based on research that shows that reading and
writing as little as 20 minutes a day can help improve a child's skills.
The program is designed to continue the momentum children gain in school
through the summer break.  With a reading partner such as a parent,
grandparent, older sibling, librarian, teacher or summer project leader,
children will complete activities found in the READ WRITE NOW materials and
be encouraged to read 20 minutes each day.  As a reward for completing the
program, children will be given a personal pan pizza by Pizza Hut.

The program is sponsored by the Center for the Book, Pizza Hut, Reading is
Fundamental, Inc., the American Association of School Librarians,
Nickelodeon, and the Department of Education.  READ WRITE NOW materials can
be obtained by calling 1-800-USA--LEARN while supplies last.

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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:  Claudette W. Tennant;
Editor: Lynne E. Bradley (leb@alawash.org).

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