================================================================= ALAWON Volume 6, Number 38 ISSN 1069-7799 May 20, 1997 American Library Association Washington Office Newsline In this issue: (130 lines) LIBRARY FUNDING -- ACTION NEEDED BUDGET RESOLUTION UPDATE LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION _________________________________________________________________ LIBRARY FUNDING -- ACTION NEEDED ACTION NEEDED: During the upcoming congressional recess (beginning this Friday May 23 through Monday, June 2), library supporters are requested to call their House members and emphasize the importance of funding library programs in the Library Services and Technology Act at the authorized level of $150 million. This summer the House and Senate will vote on whether to authorize $150 million funding for libraries and library programs. If you do not ask your congressperson for anything else this year, please ask them to vote for library funding at the authorized $150 million level. It is also very important to restore funding to ESEA Title VI, the only funding available for school libraries as part of a block grant. Last year's funding for Title VI was $310 million, but the President's FY98 budget does not fund the program. Below is a list of House members on the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee includes the telephone number of the main district office and an update on the budget resolution process. _________________________________________________________________ BUDGET RESOLUTION UPDATE In a departure from past years, budget negotiations this year occurred behind the scenes with key congressional players and the President. The talks went on past the April 15 deadline, but after new economic figures from the Congressional Budget Office were released, a tentative budget resolution agreement was reached May 2. The budget resolution calculates large expenditures over the next five years with the end goal of achieving a balanced budget by 2002. Both Republicans and Democrats are claiming victory on the resolution which includes proposals for tax reductions in capital gains and estate taxes, a $500-per-child reduction in taxes, new spending in the President's America Reads proposal, and higher education scholarships -- all which will need legislation. The resolution also includes an agreement to reduce spending in Medicare. The House Budget Committee took action on the resolution Friday, May 16 and the Senate Budget Committee voted Monday, May 19. Floor action may occur this week before the Memorial Day recess. The next few weeks will be critical as appropriators get their spending amounts for FY98. Funding will then be divided among the appropriations subcommittees. In previous years the Labor Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bills have not moved speedily, but funding decisions will be made in early June in the House and possibly in early July in the Senate. Since it is a resolution it does not need Presidential signature. After it passes both houses, funding will be divided up among appropriations committees and spending bills will be formulated. _________________________________________________________________ LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION During the upcoming congressional recess (beginning this Friday May 23 through Monday, June 2), library supporters are requested to call their House members and emphasize the importance of funding library programs in the Library Services and Technology Act at the authorized level of $150 million. It is also very important to restore funding to ESEA Title VI, the only funding available for school libraries as part of a block grant. Last year's funding for Title VI was $310 million, but the President's FY98 budget does not fund the program. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education State Name Main District Office Phone AR Jay Dickey (501) 536-3376 CA Nancy Pelosi (415) 556-4862 CT Rosa L. DeLauro (203) 562-3718 FL Dan Miller (813) 951-6643 FL C. W. Bill Young (813) 581-0980 IL John Edward Porter (708) 940-0202 KY Anne M. Northup (502) 582-5129 MD Steny H. Hoyer (301) 474-0119 MS Roger F. Wicker (601) 844-5437 NY Nita M. Lowey (914) 428-1707 OH Louis Stokes (216) 522-4900 OK Ernest J. Istook (405) 942-3636 TX Henry Bonilla (210) 697-9055 WI David R. Obey (715) 842-5606 _________________________________________________________________ ALAWON is a free, irregular publication of the American Library Association Washington Office. To subscribe, send the message: subscribe ala-wo [your_firstname] [your_lastname] to listproc @ala.org. ALAWON archives at http://www.ala.org/washoff/alawon. Visit our Web site at http://www.alawash.org. ALA Washington Office 202.628.8410 (V) 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, #403 202.628.8419 (F) Washington, DC 20004-1701 800.941.8478 (V) Lynne E. Bradley, Editor Deirdre Herman, Managing Editor Contributors: Mary Costabile Claudette Tennant All materials subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial purposes with appropriate credits. =================================================================