ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline Volume 14, Number 66 July 13, 2005 In This Issue: [1] SENATE APPROPRIATORS ANNOUNCE LIBRARY FUNDING LEVELS; [2] DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Community Technology Centers Program [1] SENATE APPROPRIATORS ANNOUNCE LIBRARY FUNDING LEVELS The Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over several library programs, passed the $604.6 billion draft measure Tuesday by voice vote without any amendments offered. The Subcommittee's recommendation included an overall funding level of $290,129,000 for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This is $40,489,000 above the allocation provided by the House of Representatives. However, this increase is likely to be used to fund Congressionally-directed projects. Within the IMLS total, the Subcommittee recommended that the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) receive $211,825,000, an increase of $5,874,000 over last year, but $9,500,000 below President Bush's budget request and $825,000 below the House of Representatives funding level. Within that total is $165 million for Grants to State Library Agencies, $23 million for Librarians for the 21st Century program, $13 million for National Leadership Grants for libraries, and $3.675 million for Improving Library Service to Native Americans. For school libraries, the House proposes $19,683,264 for the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program, the same level as fiscal year 2005, the President's request, and the House of Representatives. Funding for the Department of Education is $56.709 billion, an increase of $132.2 million over the FY05 level (.25% increase) and $490.3 million over the President's budget request. Funding for No Child Left Behind programs would be decreased by $750 million, for total funding of $23.771 billion. Similar to the President's Budget request, many education programs are level funded, some are cut and several programs are eliminated entirely, including Even Start. However, some of the programs that the President proposed for elimination in his FY 06 budget, like Adult Education, were restored to their FY05 level of $585.4 million. ALA, along with the 37 Senators, had requested that the Senate Appropriations Committees fund the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) at President Bush's request of $221.33 million and $100 million for the Improving Literary Through School Libraries program – the level of funding necessary to initiate formula grants to all states. Given the extremely tight budget environment, ALA is pleased with the almost $6 million increase proposed for LSTA. However, we will continue to work with the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to increase funding for America's school libraries. The Subcommittee's recommendations next head to the full Appropriations Committee that is scheduled to meet this Thursday. Visit ALA's website for more information and talking points on these critical programs: http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/WOissues/washfunding/funding.htm Use ALA's Washington Office Legislative Action Center at http://capwiz.com/ala/home/ to identify and fax your Members of Congress in both the House and the Senate. You can also call your Member of Congress directly using the U.S. Capitol switchboard at: (202) 224-3121. [2] DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Community Technology Centers Program [re-printed from the Department of Education] AGENCY: Office of Vocational and Adult Education, Department of Education. ACTION: Notice of final changes to requirements. SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education announces changes to certain requirements governing the Community Technology Centers (CTC) program that the Department established in 2004 and used for the fiscal year (FY) 2004 CTC competition. Specifically, the Assistant Secretary is removing the following two requirements: (1) That novice and non-novice applicants in CTC competitions be ranked and funded separately, and (2) that at least 75 percent of the funds be set aside for non-novice applicants and up to 25 percent of the funds be set aside for novice applicants. The Assistant Secretary will abide by the revised requirements in making awards in FY 2005 from the list of unfunded applicants from the FY 2004 CTC competition. DATES: This notice of final changes to requirements is effective August 11, 2005. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Holliday, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza, Room 11089, Washington, DC 20202-7241. Telephone: (202) 245-7708 or via e- mail: karen.holliday@ed.gov. Please type ``CTC Notice Correspondence'' as the subject line of your electronic message. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339. Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Note: This notice does not solicit applications. Full-Text: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.acce ss.gpo.gov/2005/05-13688.htm ****** 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, Don Essex, Josh Farrelman, Patrice McDermott and Miriam Nisbet. Office for Information Technology Policy: Rick Weingarten, Director; Carrie Lowe, Kathy Mitchell, Carrie Russell. ALAWON Editor: Bernadette Murphy.