****Begin File******************Begin File*******************Begin File**** *************************************************************************** ALAWON ALA Washington Office Newsline An electronic publication of the American Library Association Washington Office Volume 1, Number 11 October 6, 1992 In this issue: (187 lines) HR 5983 PENDING IN SENATE LABOR HHS-ED APPROPRIATIONS PASSES HOUSE/SENATE CONGRESS PASSES GOVERNMENT INFORMATION REDISSEMINATION FEES POSTAL REVENUE FORGONE SHRINKS FOLKLIFE CENTER EXTENSION BILL PASSED IN SENATE FOLKLIFE CENTER BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO MEET DEPOSITORY LIBRARY COUNCIL TO MEET *************************************************************************** HR 5983 PENDING IN SENATE After the House passed HR 5983, the Government Printing Office Electronic Information Access Act, on September 29, it was sent to the Senate for action. The bill (a compromise successor to HR 2772 and S. 2813, the GPO WINDO/Gateway bills) would establish in GPO a means of enhancing electronic public access to a wide range of federal electronic information. GPO would be directed to provide a system of online access to the Congressional Record, the Federal Register, and other appropriate publications distributed by GPO. The service would be priced at the incremental cost of dissemination for most users, and be available without charge to depository libraries. ACTION NEEDED: Immediately urge Senators to pass HR 5983 this year before the Senate adjourns within the next few days. With time so short, telephone or fax messages to your Senators. Any Senate office can be reached at: (202)224-3121. Key Senators to contact are: Wendell Ford (D- KY), Majority Whip, (202)224-4343; George Mitchell (D-ME), Majority Leader, (202)224-5344; Robert Dole (R-KS), Minority Leader, (202)224-6521; Alan Simpson (R-WY), Minority Whip, (202)224-3424. *************************************************************************** LABOR HHS-ED APPROPRIATIONS PASSES HOUSE/SENATE The Labor HHS-ED Appropriations bill conference report (H. Rept. 102-974) was approved by both the House and Senate on Saturday, October 3, 1992, clearing the bill for signature by the President. Overall, total education numbers were only $600 million dollars over FY92, and under the President's budget request by $1 billion dollars. In general, conferees chose the Senate's higher numbers for library programs and, at conclusion of the conference meeting, levied an across-the-board cut of 0.8 percent, to bring the total of the bill under the President's number--a strategy apparently to be followed with all remaining appropriations bills. Conference report language modified the Senate report for HEA II-B Research Programs which included $2,500,000 for a statewide fiber optic system with on-line dial-in access with the State of Iowa suggested as ideally suited for receipt of the funds, to wording that the grant be awarded competitively. The amounts for library and related programs in HR 5677 are as follows: ------------------------------------------------------------------- PROGRAM (amounts in thousands) FY 1993 FY 1993 FY 1993 HOUSE SENATE CONF. .8%CUT LIBRARY SERVICES & CONSTRUCTION ACT $128,366 $129,663 $128,626 Title I, public library services 83,059 83,898 83,227 II, pub. lib. construction 16,551 16,718 16,584 III, interlibrary cooperation 19,709 19,908 19,749 IV, Indian library services * * * V, foreign language materials 966 976 968 VI, library literacy programs 8,081 8,163 8,098 HIGHER EDUCATION ACT 18,398 18,574 18,425 Title II-B, library career training 4,950 5,000 4,960 II-B, research & demonstrations 322 2,825 2,802 II-C, research libraries 5,796 5,855 5,808 II-D, college library tech. 6,340 3,904 3,873 VI sec 607, foreign periodicals 990 990 982 ESEA Chapter 2 school block grant 466,191 463,320 458,413 Natl. Center for Educ. Statistics 92,565 68,607** 78,270 NCLIS 590 982 889 WHCLIS 400 400 397 National Library of Medicine 105,024 105,024 104,184 (incl. Medical Lib. Asst. Act) * 2 percent of Titles I, II, and III **This number was reported incorrectly in Sept. 11 ALAWON (Vol. 1, No. 8) *************************************************************************** CONGRESS PASSES GOVERNMENT INFORMATION REDISSEMINATION FEES Congress has passed legislation to impose a fee on the use and redissemination of information contained in the Federal Maritime Commission ATFI (Automated Tariff Filing Information) database. The revenue collected will ostensibly finance the phase-out of the recreational boat user fee. The new ATFI fees will become law unless President Bush either vetoes it or declines to sign it. Two bills containing the ATFI fee requirements may be presented to the President. On October 4, the House approved HR 2152, the driftnet legislation, as amended by the Senate on August 12. Title V of the bill contains the recreational boat user fee repeal (sec. 501) and the ATFI redissemination fee (sec. 502). Additionally, the boat fee repeal and ATFI provisions were included in the conference committee version of HR 11, the comprehensive tax and urban aid package. Both Houses are expected to approve the conference report on HR 11 before adjournment, which will clear that bill for the President's signature. During September, ALA Washington Office Director Eileen Cooke wrote to key legislators considering both HR 2152 and HR 11 to urge them to drop the redissemination fee provisions, but Congress was clearly determined to eliminate the unpopular boat user fee and replace it with another source of revenue. *************************************************************************** POSTAL REVENUE FORGONE SHRINKS House-Senate conferees reduced the FY93 funding for Postal Revenue Foregone to $121.9 million, the amount requested by the Bush Administration. This is $78 million less than the $200 million passed by both House and Senate in their versions of HR 5488, the Treasury, Postal Service Appropriations bill. The bill is now awaiting the President's signature. House Chairman Roybal's one-year "fix" remains in effect, which means that preferred rates will not increase during FY93. For the first time, a cross subsidy is in effect, with commercial mailers subsidizing the shortfall of $360 million. This is a very unsatisfactory and interim resolution of the annual shortfall dilemma. Conferees called for permanent legislative reform. *************************************************************************** FOLKLIFE CENTER EXTENSION BILL PASSED IN SENATE On September 29, the Senate passed HR 5058 by voice vote. This bill extends the American Folklife Center for one year only, with no funding increase over the FY92 level of $1,120,000. The bill now goes to the President for his signature. Since this is only a one-year extension, the reauthorization process will begin again in the next Congress. *************************************************************************** FOLKLIFE CENTER BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO MEET The Board of Trustees of the American Folklife Center will meet on Saturday, October 10, 1992. The meeting will be held from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at the San Jose Hotel Meeting Room, San Jose, California. For further information, contact Raymond L. Dockstader, Deputy Director, American Folklife Center, Washington, DC 20540. Phone: (202) 707-6590. The meeting is open to the public, but the Center suggests that persons planning to attend the meeting as observers contact Raymond L. Dockstader. *************************************************************************** DEPOSITORY LIBRARY COUNCIL TO MEET The Depository Library Council will meet on October 19-20 at the Library of Congress, Madison Building, LM 407, 101 Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20540. The Council will meet from 1:00 to 5:00 pm on Monday, October 19, and from 9:00 to 11:30 am on Tuesday, October 20. Additionally, the Council members will have an informal session Monday morning to prepare for the Council Meeting, and an informal Post-Council discussion on Tuesday afternoon. The meeting is open to the public. Anyone who wishes to attend the meeting must notify Josephine Williams, U.S. Government Printing Office (SL), Washington, DC 20401. Phone: (202) 512-1114. *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** ALAWON is an irregular publication of the American Library Association Washington Office, 110 Maryland Avenue, N.E., Washington, DC 20002-5675. Editor and List Owner: Fred King. Phone: 202-547-4440; Fax: 202-547-7363; Bitnet: NU_ALAWASH@CUA; Internet: NU_ALAWASH@CUA.EDU All or part of ALAWON may be redistributed, with appropriate credits. 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