ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline Volume 11, Number 20 March 21, 2002 In this issue: MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES BILL PASSED BY HOUSE EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE COMMITTEE At approximately half past five on March 20, Subcommittee Chairman Pete Hoekstra declared that H.R. 3784, The Museum and Library Services Act of 2002, had passed and would be reported out of the Education and the Workforce Committee. During introductory remarks, Hoekstra thanked Rep. Tim Roemer (D- IN) for his work on the bi-partisan bill and said it was widely co-sponsored and supported by all organizations in the public and private sector. Roemer responded that it was a bi-partisan, non- controversial bill with "no big headlines or people screaming at each other" but that did not mean the bill was not important. The legislation as reported by the Committee would authorize library programs at $300 million for 2003 and "such sums" from 2004-2008. The museum portion of the bill would be authorized at $50 million and "such sums" for the remaining time of the bill's existence. In 1996, the authorization level for libraries was set at $150 million. The base amount states would receive would change to $500,000, which would help smaller states. The formula has not changed since it was developed in 1970. Included in the bill is language allowing the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to conduct a yearly evaluation of both museum and library services. Formerly, there were two advisory boards, one for libraries that was composed of members of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science and one for museums. The bill would establish one joint museum-library board and eliminate NCLIS participation. The bill allows the Director of IMLS to grant a National Award for Library Service and a National Award for Museum Service, and includes language to ensure that library activities are coordinated with activities under the No Child Left Behind Act. During discussion of the bill, Representative Major Owens (D-NY) proposed an amendment to return to the language of the previous LSTA act which set up two boards with NCLIS acting as the library advisory board, but the amendment was defeated. ACTION NEEDED: Library supporters should continue to ask Representatives to sign on to the bill as co-sponsors. There are currently 70 sponsors of the bill, but time remains during the spring recess to ask Members to sign on while they are in their home districts. There are many strong House library supporters who are not yet on this bill, please enlist their support. Ask them to co-sponsor H.R. 3784, The Museum and Library Services Act of 2002. Showing a wide base of House support by a long list of sponsors will help the bill continue to move when it reaches the Senate. A hearing is planned in the Senate on April 10. ****** ALAWON (ISSN 1069-7799) is a free, irregular publication of the American Library Association Washington Office. All materials subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial purposes with appropriate credits. To subscribe to ALAWON, send the message: subscribe ala-wo [your_firstname] [your_lastname] to listproc@ala.org or go to http://www.ala.org/washoff/alawon. To unsubscribe to ALAWON, send the message: unsubscribe ala-wo to listproc@ala.org. ALAWON archives at http://www.ala.org/washoff/alawon. ALA Washington Office, 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Suite 403, Washington, D.C. 20004-1701; phone: 202.628.8410 or 800.941.8478 toll-free; fax: 202.628.8419; e-mail: alawash@alawash.org; Web site: http://www.ala.org/washoff. Executive Director: Emily Sheketoff. Office of Government Relations: Lynne Bradley, Director; Camille Bowman, Mary Costabile, Don Essex, and Miriam Nisbet. Office for Information Technology Policy: Rick Weingarten, Director; Jennifer Hendrix, Carrie Russell, Claudette Tennant. ALAWON Editor: Bernadette Murphy.