ALAWON v6n71 (August 13, 1997) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/alawon/alawon-v6n71 ================================================================= ALAWON Volume 6, Number 71 ISSN 1069-7799 August 13, 1997 American Library Association Washington Office Newsline In this issue: (200 lines) LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS BILLS PASSED; ACTION NEEDED ON FDLP AND LC APPROPRIATIONS TIIAP FUNDING FOR FY98 RESTORED IN SENATE: ACTION NEEDED E-RATE IMPLEMENTATION WORKING GROUP REPORT RELEASED _________________________________________________________________ LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS BILLS PASSED; ACTION NEEDED ON FDLP AND LC APPROPRIATIONS The House of Representatives passed H.R. 2209, Legislative Branch Appropriations for FY98, on July 28 [H. Rept. 105-196]. This appropriation bill funds the activities of Congress but also includes agencies with functions important to the library community such as the Government Printing Office and the Library of Congress. Although the House usually acts first on appropriations bill, on July 16 the Senate passed their version of the bill, S. 1019 [S. Rept. 105-47]. The Senate agreed that when that body receives the House companion measure, the Senate-passed bill would be substituted for the House-passed language. The two Houses will reconcile their differences on the two bills in a conference after the August recess. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: The House voted to appropriate $29,264,000--an increase of $187,000--for the salaries and expenses of the Superintendent of Documents. The Senate-passed appropriation for FY98 is the same as for FY97, $29,077,000. Most of these funds are used for the Federal Depository Library Program, which is responsible for supplying 1,367 designated libraries throughout the United States with federal documents in multiple formats, and for the GPO Access program. Three other programs also are funded through this appropriation: the International Exchange Program, the cataloging and indexing of government publications, and the distribution of publications authorized by law at the request of Members of Congress and other government agencies. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS: Library of Congress funding for FY98 is $381,653,000 as passed by the Senate and $372,585,000 as passed by the House, compared with $361,896,000 in current funding. The higher Senate level would allow needed increases in the purchase of and preservation of library materials, in automation (an integrated library system), and in additional recording machines for users of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. ACTION NEEDED: Senate conferees on H.R. 2209 are: Senators Bennett (R-UT), Stevens (R-AK), Craig (R-ID), Cochran (R-MS), Dorgan (D-ND), Boxer (D-CA), and Byrd (D-WV). Although House conferees have not been named, they are likely to be: Representatives Walsh (R-NY), Young (R-FL), Cunningham (R-CA), Wamp (R-TN), Latham (R-IA), Livingston (R-LA), Serrano (D-NY), Fazio (D-CA), Kaptur (D-OH), and Obey (D-WI). Please contact legislators now during the August recess about the House-Senate conference on the FY98 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill (H.R. 2209). Urge them to support the higher House level ($29,264,000 for FY98) for the GPO Superintendent of Documents Salaries and Expenses Appropriation to provide needed funds for the Federal Depository Library Program. Also ask legislators to support the Senate-passed level ($381,653,000 for FY98) for the Library of Congress in the conference. _________________________________________________________________ TIIAP FUNDING FOR FY98 RESTORED IN SENATE: ACTION NEEDED The American Library Association was one of 64 library, education, cultural, disability, civil liberties, and other civic organizations signing on to a joint letter in support of an amendment to restore $10 million in funding for the Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program (TIIAP). The letter, sent July 23 to all Senators, urged support of an amendment by Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME). This strong show of support helped persuade the floor managers of the FY98 Commerce, Justice, State, and the Judiciary Appropriations Bill, S.1022 to incorporate the Dorgan-Snowe amendment into a package of manager's amendments to the bill, which the Senate then passed on July 29. The Senate action funds TIIAP at the current level, $21.5 million. The House Appropriations Committee is also recommending $21.5 million in the House bill, H.R. 2267. The Administration's request for FY98 was $36 million. The House will take up H.R. 2267 upon return from recess. The TIIAP program, administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in the U.S. Department of Commerce, was created to promote the development and widespread availability of advanced telecommunications and information technologies to serve the public interest. Since 1994, TIIAP has award 277 grants to non-profit and public service organizations. Approximately $79 million in Federal grant funds were matched by more than $133 million in non-Federal funds to benefit underserved communities throughout the United States. Several of these grants have been used by libraries and schools directly or through coalitions for community networking, education and extending library services. ACTION NEEDED: It is important to stress to Representatives and Senators on recess that the TIIAP program should continue to be funded because grants have been used by libraries and schools-- directly or through coalitions--for community networking, education and extending library services. _________________________________________________________________ E-RATE IMPLEMENTATION WORKING GROUP REPORT RELEASED On July 31 the E-Rate Implementation Working Group released a report to the FCC making recommendations on (1) the design of application forms to be submitted by schools and libraries for Universal Service Fund (USF) support and (2) alternative measures for the required approval of technology plans as part of the E-rate application process. The Working Group is composed of members of the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Museum and Library Services, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Rural Utilities Service and the Education and Library Networks Coalition, of which ALA is a member. The report contains a proposed checklist for approval of new technology plans, recommended application forms and examples of aggregate discount-rate calculations for central billing. Recommendations made by the Working Group include: -The Schools and Libraries Corporation (SLC) should explore the development of standardized data formats for the inventory/assessments and other information submitted in the application process. -SLC should explore the establishment of a data warehouse, or relational data base. Information stored could contain information on individual schools and libraries such as physical location, contact person, population, building count, poverty measure and technology inventory. Technology plans and E-rate applications would also be maintained in digital form. The Working group made several recommendations on applications for E-rate support made by library systems, school districts and consortia acting on behalf of multiple service acquirers rather than by individual libraries or schools: -As an alternative review mechanism for technology plans, SLC should create a peer-review process, using intermediate independent organizations to administer the process when they are available. -A common minimum general standard should be promulgated by the FCC for the approval of all technology plans after the interim period. The standard should be used immediately for all new technology plans. -A separate technology plan should not be required for USF support. An existing technology plan, including one pre-approved for the E-rate, should satisfy the E-rate requirement as long as it has been approved in accordance with FCC standards. -Technology plans should be re-approved at least every five years. Although, subject to the granting of annual funding requests, applicants should be entitled to USF support for longer multiyear contracts, the applicable technology plan should be required to justify the extended duration of the contract, either with respect to continued use of the services or as a payment option. The complete report is available from the Department of Education at http://www.ed.gov/Technology/eraterpt.html. _________________________________________________________________ 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, 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 Aleck Johnson Anne Heanue 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. =================================================================