****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 3, Number 2 January 19, 1994 In this issue: (306 lines) FURTHER SPENDING CUTS ANTICIPATED IN SENATE HEARINGS PLANNED ON HR 3400 TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY - GORE SPEECH IITF ANNOUNCES COMPUTER BULLETIN BOARD GOVERNMENT INFORMATION LOCATOR SERVICE HEARINGS ON SOFTWARE PATENT ISSUES CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE TO HOLD WORKSHOPS *************************************************************************** FURTHER SPENDING CUTS ANTICIPATED IN SENATE The House-passed version of HR 3400, the Government Reform and Savings Act of 1993, cut $900,000 from the budget of the Library of Congress. Proposals made public on the Senate side would include further decreases of 7.5 percent in Legislative Branch appropriations. Passage of so severe a reduction would require further and dramatic curtailments in service by the Library of Congress to Congress, researchers, and the nation's libraries. The proposed cutbacks would also severely affect the Government Printing Office. Senators Bob Kerrey (D-NE), Kent Conrad (D-ND), Bob Graham (D-FL), and Hank Brown (R-CO), unveiled their package of proposed cuts on November 10. Their proposal includes the same four education programs the Penny-Kasich House amendments targeted, one of which is LSCA Public Library Construction, in addition to a 7.5 percent reduction in the Legislative Branch appropriations. The Senators' plan does not include reductions in the appropriations caps, but all sponsors have said they would be in favor of such a move. Senate appropriators oppose a lowering of the appropriations caps, since the limits are already so restrictive that significant cuts will be necessary to stay within the caps over the next five years. On December 8, Senator Dole and 9 other Senators unveiled a minority proposal which plans to eliminate $50 billion over the next five years and includes slicing Legislative Branch appropriations by 7.5 percent, phasing in a 10 percent cut in Arts and Humanities Endowments' funding, changes to the Government Printing Office as proposed by the National Performance Review, and calls for passage of a Presidential line-item veto. Senator John Kerry (D-MA) and another group of bipartisan Senators also weighed in with a proposal to cut $43 billion over five years by killing the space station and making cuts in other defense, energy and intelligence operations programs. Further complicating the deliberations for legislators is the political reality of re-election for House and Senate members in the fall, and the continuation of what one Hill staffer called the battle between the budget cutters and the "radical budget cutters." ACTION NEEDED: Library supporters should follow the course of HR 3400 closely, and continue to contact legislators to oppose cuts in appropriations for the Library of Congress, the Government Printing Office, and library programs in general. *************************************************************************** HEARINGS PLANNED ON HR 3400 Senator Wendell Ford (D-KY), Chair of the Senate Rules Committee, has asked ALA President Hardy Franklin to testify at a Committee hearing on February 10. The Committee wants to hear the Association's views on: 1) Title XIV of the House-passed HR 3400 (which includes transferring the Superintendent of Documents position and functions to the Library of Congress), 2) the original Title XIV of HR 3400 as it was introduced, 3) the associated recommendations of the National Performance Review, and 4) the report of the Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress as it relates to the Government Printing Office. Another hearing is planned for February 3 to hear from the Government Printing Office and the Office of Management and Budget. *************************************************************************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY - GORE SPEECH Telecommunications policy is heating up as the Administration readies its own proposal and congressional committees appear poised to act on some version of pending bills. Vice President Gore outlined the principles underlying the Administration's policy initiative in a speech on December 21 at the National Press Club, and was scheduled to announce further details in January. In his December speech, the Vice President demonstrated a commendable understanding of technology as a means, not an end, saying that we must "zero in not on the technology, but what we use technology FOR...Most people today are primarily receivers of information...In this decade we will TRANSMIT more and more as well...The communications revolution recognizes each individual as a source of information that adds value to our community and to our economy." He also emphasized that the information highways must be two-way roads. However, most of the emphasis was on the information marketplace, which would include four major components: private sector owners of the highways, makers of information appliances, information providers (including individuals with information they want to share or sell), and information customers. "Anyone who wants to form a business to deliver information will have the means of reaching customers. And any person who wants information will be able to choose among competing information providers, at reasonable prices." To manage a transition period, Gore announced that the Administration would "support removal, over time, under appropriate conditions, of judicial and legislative restrictions on all types of telecommunications companies: cable, telephone, utilities, television and satellite." To do this, legislative and administrative proposals will be prepared "after extensive consultation with Congress, industry, public interest and consumer groups, and state and local governments." Five principles will underlie the Administration initiatives: (1) encourage private investment, (2) promote and protect competition, (3) provide open access to the network, (4) avoid creating a society of information haves and have nots, and (5) encourage flexibility. Regarding the fourth principle, Gore talked about the future of universal service, and indicated the most important step was to adopt policies resulting in lower prices for everyone. But he admitted that a regulatory safety net would still be needed. "We cannot relax restrictions from legislation and judicial decisions without strong commitments and safeguards that there will be a 'public right of way' on the information highway. We must protect the interests of the public sector...That's essential in providing affordable services for public education, public health and government." And further, "less fortunate sectors of the population must have access to a minimum level of information services through subsidies or other forms of a public interest tithe." The principle of flexibility would mean leaving many details to appropriate government agencies in order to accommodate technological change, and "avoiding both extremes: regulation for regulation's sake, and the blind adherence to the dead hand of a free market economist." The Administration is not starting from scratch in crafting its own proposal, according to the Vice President, who mentioned several pending bills introduced by key members of the congressional committees with jurisdiction over telecommunications policy. Measures referred to included the Brooks-Dingell bill (HR 3626), the Markey-Fields bill (HR 3636), and the Danforth-Inouye bill (S. 1086). Senate committee chairman Ernest Hollings is working on another bill. *************************************************************************** IITF ANNOUNCES COMPUTER BULLETIN BOARD The Administration's Information Infrastructure Task Force announced on December 16 the operation of a computer bulletin board system. The purpose is to provide public access to IITF and other National Information Infrastructure related documents, including IITF schedules, committee reports and minutes of meetings. Some parts of the menu are still under construction, but available now are frequently asked questions, points of contact, press releases, and such documents as Vice President Gore's December 21 speech at the National Press Club on NII and telecommunications policy. For access to the IITF bulletin board through the Internet, gopher to iitf.doc.gov or telnet to iitf.doc.gov and login as gopher. Comments may be sent by e-mail to nii@ntia.doc.gov. For telephone access, dial 202-501-1920. For further information, contact Charlie Franz, Dan Davis or Art Altenburg at 202-482-1835 (cfranz@ntia.doc.gov). *************************************************************************** GOVERNMENT INFORMATION LOCATOR SERVICE Mary Alice Baish, Reference/Documents Librarian at The American University, represented the American Library Association at a December 13, 1993 public meeting on a proposal to establish a government information locator service (GILS). Sponsored by the Information Policy Committee of the Information Infrastructure Task Force, the meeting was conducted by Peter Weiss of the Office of Management and Budget. Baish made five recommendations: * Access to the Locator be available through a variety of means, including the Internet; and that it be provided to depository libraries through the GPO Access system for use by the American public at no charge. * Data-processing standards such as ANSI Z39.50 be adopted. * One agency be given responsibility for maintaining the system and guaranteeing compliance by all other executive agencies. * The Locator provide either specific piece level descriptions or access to such descriptions, and connectivity to agency information resources. * General guidelines for user support services be delineated as the Locator is developed. Other speakers included Bruce McConnell, OMB; Eliot Christian, U.S. Geological Survey; Gary Bass, OMB Watch; Paul Evan Peters, Coalition for Networked Information; Robert Oakley, American Association for Networked Information; Steven Metalitz, Information Industry Association; John Chelen, Unison Institute; Page Miller, American Historical Association; Judith Russell, Government Printing Office; Kenneth Thibodeau, National Archives and Records Administration; John Young, CyberVistas; and Scott Armstrong, journalist. *************************************************************************** HEARINGS ON SOFTWARE PATENT ISSUES The Patent and Trademark Office is holding public hearings and requesting public comments on issues associated with the patenting of software-related inventions. Public hearings will be held as follows: January 26-27 at the San Jose Convention Center, 408 Almaden Avenue, San Jose, CA, on use of the patent system to protect software-related inventions; February 10 (all day), February 11 (morning) at the Crystal Forum in Arlington, VA, on standards and practices used in examination of patent applications for software-related inventions; and February 11 (afternoon) at the Crystal Forum in Arlington, VA, on the significance of and protection for visual aspects of software-related inventions. Requests to testify must be received at least five days prior to the hearing date. Written comments are due by March 15 to Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks, Box 4, Patent and Trademark Office, Washington, DC 20231. Comments may also be sent by fax (703-305-8885) or by e-mail (comments-software@uspto.gov). See the December 20, 1993 _Federal Register_, pp. 66347-53. Further information: Jeff Kushan, 703-305-9300 (fax: 703-305-8885; e-mail: kushan@uspto.gov). The Patent and Trademark Office is also holding a hearing on January 25 at the San Jose, CA Convention Center on issues related to research-oriented use of patented technology--specifically, exploration of an experimental use defense to patent infringement. See the December 27 _FR_, pp. 68394-96. Further information: Jeff Kushan, as noted above. *************************************************************************** CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE TO HOLD WORKSHOPS The Corporation for National and Community Service will hold a series of Program Application Assistance Workshops in order to encourage broad participation in national community service. The workshops will cover application for AmeriCorps, the President's national service program, and Serve-America, which includes the service-learning program for school-aged youth and the Higher Education Innovative Programs, targeted toward college-and university-based service and curricula. Workshops will be held in the following selected locations across the country. January 18-19 Kansas City, Missouri January 20-21 Los Angeles, California For those unable to attend the workshops, the Corporation will send more information or can arrange a tele-video conference. For further information contact the Corporation for National and Community Service, Office of Public Liaison, 1110 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20525; 202-606-5000; fax 202-606-4854. *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** 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. Editor: Carol C. Henderson (cch@alawash.org). All or part of ALAWON may be redistributed, with appropriate credits. 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. 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