ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline
Volume 10, Number 86
December 12, 2001

In this issue: 

Labor HHS Education Appropriations Conference to Begin 


Now that the major education legislation conference report has been completed, House and Senate conferees on one of the last remaining appropriations bills can complete their work.  Early next week, the FY2002 Labor, Health and Human Service, Education appropriations conferees may meet to finalize this year's bill.  The House version, H.R. 3061, includes education funding for programs in the House education bill, while the Senate bill, S. 1536, includes education funding for programs in the Senate bill.  One of the major tasks before the appropriators is to decide how much funding to allocate.  Appropriators will only discuss those areas where there are funding differences,  so LSTA programs, funded by both House and Senate at the same $168 million will not be discussed.

Appropriators will discuss the difference between the Senate bill's inclusion of $25 million for school library resources, and the House bill's lack of funds for that item.

Note: Appropriators fund programs yearly, so every year there are 13 appropriations bills that must pass.  Authorizers decide whether a program should be included in law, and at what level the funding for that program should be set.  Appropriators decide exactly how much money to fund for programs, either as much as the level set by authorizers or less than that amount.  Since the authorization process establishes the law, it must come first.  Then funds can be appropriated for the program by appropriators.  For further explanation see www.senate.gov/-appropriations/process.htm

ACTION NEEDED:

Below is a list of House and Senate conferees.  The message to them is a clear one: please provide funding for school library materials. (U.S. Capitol Switchboard 202-224-3121)

 House: Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations Conferees: Reps. C.W. Bill Young (R-FL); Ralph Regula (R-OH); Kay Granger (R-TX);  David Obey (D-W);Steny Hoyer (D-MD)Ernest Istook (R-OK) Patrick Kennedy (D-RI); Don Sherwood (R-PA) Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Dan Miller (R-FLA) Nita Lowey (D-NY) Roger Wicker (R-MS) Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)Anne Northup (R-KY) Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL) Randy Cunningham (R-CA)

Senate: Labor HHS, Education Appropriations Conferees: Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA); Fritz Hollings (D-SC); Daniel Inouye (D-HI); Harry Reid (D-NV); Patty Murray (D-WA); Mary Landrieu (D-LA); Arlen Specter (R-PA); Thad Cochran (R-MS); Judd Gregg (R-NH); Larry Craig (R-ID); Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) Ted Stevens (R-AK); and Mike DeWine (R-OH).


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