****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 4, Number 30 March 29, 1995 In this issue: (111 lines) TELECOMMUNICATIONS BILL NOT YET RELEASED FROM SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE SENATE BEGINS CONSIDERATION OF S.617 RESCISSION PACKAGE - ACTION NEEDED *************************************************************************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS BILL NOT YET RELEASED FROM SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee has not released the telecommunications legislation that was considered at their March 23 mark up. At this writing, no bill has formally been filed and rumors persist that no complete version, with all the amendments, both substantive and technical, has been finalized. When ALAWON last reported on the Senate Commerce Committee mark up (ALAWON, March 24, Vol. 4, No. 28) we had hoped that the final version would be available by now. Inquiries to senate staffers indicate that the bill should be available by the end of this week. We have also been advised that the various public access provisions added through amendments remain in the bill although we have received differing versions of the actual amendments. One amendment on universal service by Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), and another amendment by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) on incremental cost-based rates, make major contributions to insuring public access to the information superhighway through libraries and schools. Library and education supporters, especially in Maine, West Virginia, and Massachusetts, should extend their thanks to these senators who championed the importance of public access to the information superhighway through libraries, schools, and rural healthcare facilities. ALAWON will report further on the roll call vote which preserved these key provisions giving libraries eligibility for "incremental cost-based rates" as well as report on possible floor amendments on redlining and other public access issues. Also, at the mark up, Sens. James Exon (D-NE) and Slade Gorton (R-WA) added S. 314, their Communications Decency Act of 1995, as an amendment to the larger telecommunications bill. It is believed their revised language exempts telecommunications providers from responsibility for "obscene or harassing use" of telecommunications systems and makes the "originators" of such material responsible for its dissemination. This is still a troubling provision. However, analysis of this and the entire bill will have to wait for the official language in the committee bill and report. There is still much to be done when the bill is reported out of committee and to the Senate floor. ALAWON readers should contact their senators and ask for their support for the public access amendments even in advance of the printed bill. As soon as the bill is available we will provide additional information. *************************************************************************** SENATE BEGINS CONSIDERATION OF S.617 RESCISSION PACKAGE On Wednesday, March 29, the Senate began consideration of the FY95 rescission bill. Senator Hatfield (R-OR), chairman of the Appropriations Committee offered the Senate bill S. 617 as an amendment to the House rescission bill, HR 1158. It is expected that Senators Kennedy (D-MA.) and Daschle (D-SD) will offer a $1.3 billion amendment to restore cuts in education, housing, Head Start etc. The education restoration, totalling $330 million will cover Title 1, Goals 2000, Safe and Drug Free Schools, School to Work, Impact Aid, Immigrant Education and education infrastructure. Library supporters will remember that the education infrastructure program was part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization passed last year, and originally sponsored by Senator Carol Moseley-Braun (D-IL). The infrastructure program was funded in FY95, and the rescission bill proposed to de-fund all the program in the House bill and $20 million of the program in the Senate version. ACTION NEEDED: Education and library supporters are encouraged to make calls to Senators asking them to approve the Kennedy-Daschle amendment. *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** 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. Contributing to this issue: Mary R. Costabile; Editor: Lynne E. Bradley (leb@alawash.org). 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. To find out what's available, send the message "send ala-wo filelist" to the listserv. The ALA-WO filelist contains the list of files with the exact filename and filetype. To get a particular file, issue the command "send filename filetype" to the listserv. Do not include the quotes in your commands. All materials in the newsletter subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial purposes with appropriate credits. For other reprinting or redistribution, address requests to the ALA Washington Office (alawash@alawash.org). *************************************************************************** ***End of file******************End of file******************End of file***