****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 45 August 31, 1994 In this issue: (195 lines) ESEA REAUTHORIZATION AND SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA RESOURCES: ACTION NEEDED *************************************************************************** ESEA REAUTHORIZATION AND SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA RESOURCES: ACTION NEEDED REAUTHORIZATION What happened in the Senate? The Senate passed S. 1513 on August 1. The bill includes a setaside for school library resources in Title III Part E, Elementary and Secondary School Library Media Resources Program. From Part A, Educational Technology for All Students, 10-20 percent of amounts authorized would be setaside for school library media resources. The authorization level for Title III, Part A is about $337 million. Sen. Moseley-Braun's school and school library facilities bill was added to the bill in committee. The bill also specifies technology training for school library media specialists. What happened in the House? The House passed H.R. 6, which includes a Title II, Part C, Library Media Program, which authorizes dedicated funds for school library resources. The authorization level for Part C is $200 million. The bill does not specify technology training for school library media professionals, but mentions the eligibility of other school personnel. The authorization process establishes the legislation as law, and sets a dollar amount as a goal for the funding process. The rule is that nothing is funded unless it is first authorized. What happens next? Under the House-passed bill number, H.R. 6, the measure now goes to House- Senate conference over the differences in the House bill and the Senate bill. Once agreement is reached, the conference version of the bill is sent back to both House and Senate for final action. If approved, the bill is sent to the President for his signature. ACTUAL FUNDING In a year when major education legislation has been or will be passed (Goals 2000, School to Work, Headstart reauthorization, ESEA reauthorization, School Nutrition), there is very little money to fill the authorized levels for ESEA reauthorization. Why is that so? It is a combination of past deficits, past budget restrictions, and current Congressional commitment to deficit reduction by limiting spending. Additional factors are a general will on the part of the Administration to down-size government, an economy that is not growing by leaps and bounds, and an election year. The House passed the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill, H.R. 4606, on June 29. The House chose to fund parts of H.R. 6, Chapter I, Bilingual Education, and a combination of Eisenhower and Chapter 2, as well as $20 million for technology. The House did not fund the school library resources provision in H.R. 6. In the Senate, the Appropriations Committee approved H.R. 4606, the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education bill on July 20. The committee funded a combination of Eisenhower Math and Science and Chapter 2, and included $50 million for technology. Sen. Thad Cochran amended the bill in subcommittee to add $20 million for education technology, bringing the total to $50 million for part A of Title III of S. 1513. Sen. Moseley- Braun's school facilities provision was funded at $150 million. The Senate passed H.R. 4606 on August 10. Which bill? In the Senate bill, the school library resources piece is a setaside from the technology program, and if the Senate version prevails in conference, it could be funded in FY95. Both House and Senate Appropriations bills include funding for the technology title, and both also include some funding for Chapter 2 (library resources are still an eligible use of Chapter 2 funds). The House Appropriations bill did not fund the school library resources program in H.R. 6. What happens next? It is expected that both H.R. 6, the Improving America's Schools Act, and H.R. 4606, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations bill, will be taken up by conference committees when Congress returns from recess after September 12. It is important that both conference committees hear from school library supporters. ACTION NEEDED: School library champions (and conferees) Sen. Paul Simon (D-IL) and Rep. Jack Reed (D-RI), and their staffs have been discussing the best conference strategy on behalf of assistance to school libraries and their users. School library media supporters should contact conference committee members immediately, on both the school library portion of H.R. 6, and H.R. 4606, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations bill. The message? Stress the importance of school library resources and ask conferees to include funded provisions for school library media resources in House and Senate conferences on H.R. 6 and H.R. 4606. CONFEREES ON H.R. 6--Improving America' s Schools Act (ESEA Reauthorization) Senate Labor and Human Resources Subcommittee on Education, Arts and the Humanities: Claiborne Pell (D-RI), Chair; Howard Metzenbaum (D-OH); Christopher Dodd (D-CT); Paul Simon (D-IL); Barbara Mikulski (D-MD); Jeff Bingaman (D-NM); Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Paul Wellstone (D-MN); Harris Wofford (D-PA); Tom Harkin (D-IA); Jim Jeffords (R-VT); Nancy Kassebaum (R-KS); Dan Coats (R- IN); Judd Gregg (R-NH); Strom Thurmond (R-SC); Orrin Hatch (R-UT); Dave Durenberger (R-MN) House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary and Vocational Education: Dale Kildee (D-MI), Chair; George Miller (D-CA); Tom Sawyer (D-OH); Major Owens (D-NY); Jolene Unsoeld (D-WA); Jack Reed (D-RI); Tim Roemer (D-IN); Patsy Mink (D-HI); Eliot Engel (D-NY); Xavier Becerra (D-CA); Gene Green (D-TX); Lynn Woolsey (D-CA); Carlos Romero-Barcelo (D-PR); William Goodling (R-PA); Thomas Petri (R-WI); Steve Gunderson (R-WI); Buck McKeon (R-CA); Susan Molinari (R-NY); Duke Cunningham (R-CA); Dan Miller (R-FL); Marge Roukema (R-NJ); John Boehner (R-OH) CONFEREES ON H.R. 4606--Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations Bill Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education: Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chair; Robert Byrd (D-WV); Ernest Hollings (D-SC); Daniel Inouye (D-HI); Dale Bumpers (D-AR); Harry Reid (D-NV); Herb Kohl (D- WI); Patty Murray (D-WA); Arlen Specter (R-PA); Mark Hatfield (R-OR); Ted Stevens (R-AK); Thad Cochran (R-MS); Slade Gorton (R-WA); Connie Mack (R- FL); Christopher Bond (R-MO) House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education: Neal Smith (D-IA), Chair; David Obey (D-WI); Louis Stokes (D-OH); Steny Hoyer (D-MD); Nancy Pelosi (D-CA); Nita Lowey (D-NY); Jose Serrano (D-NY); Rosa DeLauro (D-CT); John Porter (R-IL); Bill Young (R-FL); Helen Bentley (R-MD); Henry Bonilla (R-TX). If your Senator or Representative is not a conferee, ask your legislator to convey your message to the Senate or House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee Chair--Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) or Rep. Neal Smith (D-IA), Senate Labor and Human Resources Subcommittee Chair Claiborne Pell (D-RI), and House Education and Labor Subcommittee Chair Dale Kildee (D-MI). The Capitol switchboard is 202-224-3121 for any Senate office; and 202-225-3121 for any House office. Addresses: U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510; U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515. *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** 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: Lee G. Enyart (lge@alawash.org). 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