****Begin File******************Begin File*******************Begin File**** *************************************************************************** ALAWON ALA Washington Office Newsline An electronic publication of the American Library Association Washington Office Volume 2, Number 10 March 24, 1993 In this issue: (200 lines) GPO ACCESS BILL PASSES THE SENATE ELECTRONIC LIBRARY ACT OF 1993 INTRODUCED HEARING ON PUBLIC LIBRARIES SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 21 ADDITIONAL SPONSORS NEEDED FOR SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA ACT CLINTON ECONOMIC PLAN NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY POLICY HEARING RESCHEDULED *************************************************************************** GPO ACCESS BILL PASSES THE SENATE The Government Printing Office Electronic Information Access Enhancement Act of 1993, S. 564 (S. Rept. 103-27), was passed by the Senate on March 22 (see March 22 _Congressional Record_, pp. S3383-4). S. 564 and its companion HR 1328, would greatly enhance free public access to federal electronic information. HR 1328 awaits action on the House floor. A colloquy between Senator Wendell Ford (D-KY), Chair of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, and Senator Paul Simon (D-IL) clarified that nothing in the legislation should be construed to authorize the Superintendent of Documents "to impose any restrictions on the public's use or reuse of Federal electronic information, or to diminish the public's timely and non-discriminatory access to such information through existing means." *************************************************************************** ELECTRONIC LIBRARY ACT OF 1993 INTRODUCED On March 22, Senator Bob Kerrey (D-NE) introduced the Electronic Library Act of 1993, S. 626, which would authorize the establishment of State-based electronic libraries. The National Science Foundation, in consultation with the Department of Education, the Department of Commerce, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the Library of Congress, would be authorized to make multiyear grants to States to develop electronic libraries. The bill authorizes $10,000,000 for FY94, $25,000,000 for FY95, and such sums as may be necessary for FY96 and each fiscal year thereafter. Senators Exon (D-NE), Moynihan (D-NY), Bradley (D-NJ), Daschle (D-SD), Lieberman (D-CT), Bingaman (D-NM), and Hatfield (R-OR) cosponsored. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. In his introductory statement in the March 22 _Congressional Record_, pp. S3363-5, Sen. Kerrey said: These libraries would be responsible for providing access to a wide range of hardware, software programs, data resources, and networking capabilities. The libraries would be responsible for demonstration and outreach activities for developing training and education programs in the use of computer and networking technology. They would be responsible for demonstrating the growing hardware and software which will allow teachers and others to create their own programs and materials. The State-based electronic library could become a part of a State college or university. It could be located inside of State government using the data bases of State agencies as its foundation. It could also become a cooperative venture of existing municipal libraries. It is possible a State may decide to establish its electronic library as a profit-making venture. These kinds of decisions should be made by State leaders, not by the Federal Government. The unifying requirement of this legislation is that State Electronic libraries should be collaborative partnerships between the Federal, State, and possibly municipal governments, primary and secondary schools, post-secondary educational institutions, and the private sector. The best partnership would involve business, teaching, technical, and creative expertise. *************************************************************************** HEARING ON PUBLIC LIBRARIES SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 21 The Joint Committee on the Library will hold a hearing focusing on the state of the nation's public libraries on April 21, the day following Library Legislative Day. Although the Committee's purpose is oversight of the Library of Congress, Chairman Charlie Rose (D-NC) has an intense interest in libraries in general. He held a field hearing in North Carolina last September on libraries and library services. Lead-off witnesses at the April 21 hearing will include Representative Major Owens (D-NY), Librarian of Congress James Billington, and ALA President Marilyn Miller. The hearing will also include panels of witnesses representing urban and rural, large and small public libraries, and state library agencies among the states and districts represented on the joint committee. Library Legislative Day participants are encouraged to attend. *************************************************************************** ADDITIONAL SPONSORS NEEDED FOR SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA ACT The list of cosponsors is slowly growing for the Elementary and Secondary School Library Media Act, the bill to provide federal assistance for acquisition of school library media resources and related purposes. See ALAWON Vol. 2, No. 4 for details. Representative Jack Reed (D-RI) is the sponsor of HR 1151. Cosponsors include Reps. Patsy Mink (D-HI), Thomas Petri (R-WI), Barney Frank (D-MA), Edward Markey (D-MA), Leslie Byrne (D-VA), Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Robert Scott (D-VA), Steve Gunderson (R-WI), Donald Payne (D-NJ), and Jolene Unsoeld (D-WA). Senator Paul Simon (D-IL) is the sponsor of S. 266. Cosponsors include Senators Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), and Thad Cochran (R-MS). ACTION NEEDED Both sponsors have asked their colleagues to join them as cosponsors, but many legislators will not automatically do so unless specifically requested by a constituent. Moving these bills forward may depend on a strong showing of support. Please ask your Representative and Senators to become cosponsors of HR 1151 and S. 266, the Elementary and Secondary School Library Media Act. *************************************************************************** CLINTON ECONOMIC PLAN CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET President Clinton achieved a significant victory on March 18 when the House passed the essential elements of his economic plan by a vote of 243-183. The vote was on H.Con.Res. 64, the congressional budget resolution for FY 1994. This action was followed by House passage of the FY93 stimulus and investment supplemental appropriations bill, HR 1335, by a vote of 235-190. Many House members said they could not vote on a stimulus package before demonstrating to their constituents the cuts in spending and corresponding deficit reduction that had been made in the budget resolution. The budget resolution provides the framework for the later appropriation of funds for specific programs. Function 500, the section of the budget that includes education, training, employment and social services, has only limited funds, as the Budget Committee Report (H.Rept. 103-31) states it "assumes the Administration's policy objectives with some modification in order to stay within the fiscal year 1994 cap." EDUCATION BUDGET OUTLINE At a hearing before the House Budget Committee on March 2, Secretary of Education Richard Riley said that the department was planning a national education reform program "designed to help make systemic reform a reality in all of America's schools." He detailed proposed legislation to be called the Goals 2000: Educate America Act, which would make the National Education Goals a matter of formal national policy; set up a council to certify that the academic standards are of the highest quality; establish an Opportunity to Learn Commission to develop standards for teaching and curricula tied to the academic standards and accelerate reform by offering Federal grants to help states, school districts, and schools design and implement comprehensive strategies to achieve world class standards. Riley said the Department's total discretionary budget will rise in FY94 from $23.2 billion to $24.4 billion or a 4.9 percent increase. He also described decreases "we will achieve by reducing programs that have achieved their purpose, that duplicate other programs, or that are not an appropriate use of limited Federal resources." No information on specific cuts will be available until the President's budget is submitted to Congress on April 5. *************************************************************************** NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY POLICY HEARING RESCHEDULED HOUSE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY. Subcommittee on Technology, Environment and Aviation. To continue hearings on National Technology Policy. Thursday, March 25, 1:00 pm, 2318 Rayburn. This hearing was originally scheduled to be held at 9:00 am in 2325 Rayburn. *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** 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. 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