ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline Volume 8, Number 93 September 20, 1999 In this issue: [1] Action Needed: Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Update; Stress Positive Action [2] Senate Approves Increases for NEA, NEH; Thanks Needed [3] Administration Focuses on Adult Education and Family Literacy Grant Initiative [1] Action Needed: Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Update; Stress Positive Action According to the September 16 Congressional Record (p. S11032), Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) discussed the sorry state of education funding at this point in the appropriations process. Sen. Harkin said that the "education budget was raided, with $7.5 billion taken out" for Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations. He added that the action left the subcommittee $15.5 billion below last year's freeze: "That translates into a 17 percent cut below last year." (For the full text of the Congressional Record, see http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/R?r106:FLD001:S11032: and select Education Funding.) In an action reminiscent of a painter painting himself into a corner, both the House and Senate have dipped into funds set aside for the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations to fund other appropriations bills. The fiscal year will end on September 30, and both House and Senate subcommittees are left with little funds and severe budget caps. The problem of budget caps is not a surprise; it was articulated in early June by Rep. John Porter (R- IL), chair of the Labor HHS-Education Appropriations subcommittee (see also the August 20 ALAWON at http://www.ala.org/washoff/alawon/alwn8083.html ). Markups for both subcommittees have been scheduled and rescheduled, but both subcommittees now plan to markup bills this week. A variety of accounting ideas have been floated in both subcommittees--the most unusual is to have thirteen months for FY2000, not twelve. If time runs out on the process, we could see the specter of government shutdown or a continuing resolution with funding set at FY99 levels for a period of time. ACTION NEEDED: Library supporters should call their Representatives and Senators and stress the need for positive action for Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations. Since Congress established the budget caps, Congress can exceed or change them. The U.S. Capitol Switchboard number is 202-224-3121. [2] Senate Approves Increases for NEA, NEH; Thanks Needed Although the Senate has not yet finished final action on the FY2000 Interior Appropriations bill, H.R. 2466, the Senate has approved an increase in funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts by $4 million each. The Senate action would bring the funding level of the two agencies to $115.7 million and $103 million respectively. During a September 14 debate on amendments to H.R. 2466, a colloquy between Sens. John Warner (R-VA) and Daniel Moynihan (D- NY) stated the Senate's intent to recede to the House on funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The House action increased funding for IMLS by an additional $875,000 over FY99 level of $23.4 million. The Senate debate on Interior Appropriations stalled over oil leasing rights, but will resume this week. When the Senate completes action on the Interior Appropriations bill, the differences will be conferenced between the House and Senate. ALAWON will publish the names of conferees when they are appointed, but the membership always comes from both Interior Appropriations Subcommittees. ACTION NEEDED: Library constituents should thank the following Senators for their positive action on behalf of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS): Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Daniel Moynihan (D-NY), Jack Reed (D-RI), Robert Bennett (R-UT), James Jeffords (R-VT), John Warner (R-VA), and Slade Gorton (R-WA). The U.S. Capitol Switchboard number is 202-224-3121. [3] Administration Focuses on Adult Education and Family Literacy Grant Initiative On September 16 Clinton administration officials held a meeting at the Old Executive Office Building to call attention to the President's FY2000 budget request for a $190 million increase for an adult education and family literacy initiative. The increase would include a $70 million investment for the English Language and Civics Education Initiative: Common Ground Partnerships. If the FY2000 budget request is finalized at the requested level, the $70 million initiative would be divided into two grant programs -- one for states and one for libraries, community-based organizations, local educational agencies, colleges, unions and other non-profit entities. The program would require a 25 percent cash or in-kind match for the grant amount. A spokesperson from the U.S. Department of Education reminded attendees that the FY99 budget contains $7 million for a pilot of the English Language Civics Education Initiative. The pilot will be announced in October 1999 with a December application deadline. For more information, contact the Department of Education at 1- 800-USA-LEARN. ****** 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 or go to http://www.ala.org/washoff/alawon. 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. Editor: Lynne E. Bradley; Managing Editor: Deirdre Herman; Contributors: Sally Benson, Mary Costabile, Peter Kaplan, Carrie Russell, Saundra Shirley, Claudette Tennant and Rick Weingarten.