ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline
Volume 10, Number 74
October 11, 2001

In this issue: 

[1] URGENT! Senate Subcommittee Agrees Upon Labor-HHS-Education; 
Senate Full Committee Markup Scheduled Today, October 11, 2001

On Wednesday evening, October 10, the Senate Labor-HHS-Education 
Appropriations Subcommittee agreed upon a bill to send to the full 
committee. 

For the first time, the Senate has included a separate line-item 
of $25 million for the Reed School Libraries Amendment which 
provides for school library materials. We are encouraged that 
Congress has recognized the need for a separate line item for 
school library funding, but library supporters should contact 
Senators and ask them to raise the funding for the Library 
Services and Technology Act (LSTA). Both the Senate and the House 
subcommittees set LSTA funds at $168 million. 

The House is debating its version of the Labor-HHS-Education bill 
today, October 11, 2001. During his presentation on the various 
parts of the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill, Subcommittee 
Chairman Ralph Regula said, "libraries are windows of opportunity 
for so many of our Nation's youth and senior citizens." 

The full Senate Appropriations Committee will markup this bill 
this afternoon at 4:00 pm.

Library supporters should contact the full Appropriations 
Committee (listed below) and: 

1.	Ask for funding at least at last year's level; 

2.	Remind Senate Subcommittee members that libraries are 
centerpieces for community information, job searches and 
technology training and need strong funding to perform 
those services.  Many communities are struggling with 
revenue shortfalls, business cutbacks and the services 
provided by libraries can help in these times of crisis 

3.	Library program dollars are sent to the states as soon as 
all the funding bills are passed and the new fiscal year 
begins, thus offering an economic stimulus immediately.  
Education funds by contrast are forward funded, so this 
year's increases don't reach communities until next year. 

(Number for Senate Appropriations Committee is: (202-224-3471); or 
contact Senators by email at www.capwiz.com/ala/home).



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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 
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ALAWON Editor: Bernadette Murphy.