_________________________________________________________________ ALAWON Volume 7, Number 114 ISSN 1069-7799 September 28, 1998 American Library Association Washington Office Newsline In this issue: (119 lines) - URGENT ACTION ALERT: CALLS NEEDED IMMEDIATELY TO SECURE SUPPORT FOR GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS REFORM BILL ________________________________________________________________ URGENT ACTION ALERT: CALLS NEEDED IMMEDIATELY TO SECURE SUPPORT FOR GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS REFORM BILL ACTION NEEDED: S. 2288, the Wendell H. Ford Government Publications Reform Act of 1998, is scheduled for mark-up late this afternoon, Monday, September 28. A quorum of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee is needed to act on the bill. Members of the Committee are listed below. Please call or send short fax letters to them immediately and ask them to do 2 things: 1) Please attend the markup of S. 2288 after the cloture vote at 5:30 p.m. today. 2) Support reporting out S. 2288 from Committee so that it can go to the Senate floor for a vote. REASONS TO SUPPORT S. 2288: In a fax or phone call, explain to your Senator that: * S. 2288 supports good government and an informed citizenry by improving public access to government information. * S. 2288 will resolve the "fugitive documents" problem and stop the erosion of public access to government publications taking place under the current system. The bill will ensure that the public has access to government information paid for at taxpayer expense. * S. 2288 will ensure that electronic government publications are preserved and permanently available for current and future users. This will address the current loss of government information taking place on a daily basis as agencies delete files from their Web sites without first providing for ongoing access. BACKGROUND: S. 2288, the Wendell H. Ford Government Publications Reform Act of 1998, was introduced by Sens. John Warner (R-VA) and Wendell Ford (D-KY). The bill would reform Title 44 of the United State Code to strengthen the Federal Depository Library Program and to improve and enhance public access to government publications from all three branches of government regardless of format. The library community, through the representatives of the Inter-Association Working Group on Government Information Policy (IAWG), had a significant role in the development of S. 2288. The Senate Rules and Administration Committee has not marked up S. 2288 because of opposition from those whose interests are in the sale of duplicating machines to federal agencies(e.g. Xerox) and in the privatization of government publications. Strong grassroots action is needed to counter this opposition and urge Senators to support S. 2288 which includes reforms to improve and enhance public access to government information. The library community's message in response to this opposition is that S. 2288 is designed to close the loopholes currently in place that inhibit public access to government publications. Thanks to all who have encouraged their Senators to cosponsor S. 2288. Today represents another critical point in moving the bill forward. For more information about S. 2288, including sample letters, talking points, and additional background information, please consult the Web site of the Inter-Association Working Group on Government Information Policy (IAWG) at: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/IAWG. SENATE COMMITTEE ON RULES AND ADMINISTRATION ST PTY SENATOR PHONE FAX AK R Ted Stevens 224-3004 224-2354 CA D Dianne Feinstein 224-3841 228-3954 CT D Christopher J. Dodd 224-2823 224-1083 HI D Daniel K. Inouye 224-3934 224-6747 KY D Wendell H. Ford, ranking min. 224-4343 224-0046 KY R Mitch McConnell 224-2541 224-2499 MS R Thad Cochran 224-5054 224-9450 MS R Trent Lott 224-6253 224-2262 NJ D Robert G. Torricelli 224-3224 224-8567 NY D Daniel Patrick Moynihan 224-4451 228-0406 NC R Jesse A. Helms 224-6342 224-7588 OK R Don Nickles 224-5754 224-6008 PA R Rick Santorum 224-6324 228-0604 TX R Kay Bailey Hutchison 224-5922 224-0776 VA R John W. Warner, chairman 224-2023 224-6295 WV D Robert C. Byrd 224-3954 228-0002 _________________________________________________________________ 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. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.ala.org/washoff/ subscribe.html or send the message: unsubscribe ala-wo 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: Carol C. Henderson All materials subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial purposes with appropriate credits. _________________________________________________________________