ALAWON v4n39 (May 6, 1995)
URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/alawon/alawon-v4n39

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                                                                  ISSN 1069-7799
                                     ALAWON
                         ALA Washington Office Newsline
                        An electronic publication of the
                 American Library Association Washington Office
 
                              Volume 4, Number 39
                                  May 6, 1995
 
   In this issue: (205 lines)
     HOUSE COMMITTEE WOULD MERGE LIBRARY PROGRAMS INTO BLOCK GRANT
     FACT SHEET: LIBRARY PROGRAM FUNDING/AUTHORIZATION ISSUES IN A CHANGED
          POLITICAL CLIMATE
 
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         HOUSE COMMITTEE WOULD MERGE LIBRARY PROGRAMS INTO BLOCK GRANT
 
The House Economic and Educational Opportunities Committee staff announced
at a briefing on May 4 their intention to introduce on May 10 a package of
four block grants for (1) Youth Workforce Preparation, (2) Vocational
Rehabilitation, (3) Adult Training, and (4) Adult Education and Literacy.
 
Title IV of this proposal, the Adult Education, Family Literacy and Library
Technology Consolidation Grant, according to the committee briefing sheet:
 
     Consolidates federal library programs into the block grant mentioned
     above, focusing funds on library technologies for the 21st century.
     These funds will be used to link libraries electronically to one-stop
     centers, Labor Market Information networks, the Internet, and other
     libraries.
 
An as yet unspecified percentage of funds paid to each governor under this
title would be provided to the State library administrative agency for the
following purposes:
 
     (A) Electronically connecting libraries and one-stop career centers
     (as established elsewhere in the proposal).
 
     (B) Establishing or enhancing linkages among libraries.
 
     (C) Assisting libraries in accessing information through electronic
     networks.
 
     (D) Encouraging libraries in different Federal, State, and local
     jurisdictions, and different types of libraries, to establish
     consortia and share resources.
 
     (E) Paying costs for libraries to acquire or share computer systems
     and telecommunications technologies.
 
"Libraries" means all types of libraries.  The proposal provides for the
repeal of the Library Services and Construction Act, the new ESEA School
Library Media Resources Program, and the Higher Education Act title II
library programs.
 
Funds for title IV would be distributed to states based first on adults
without a high school diploma or GED, and second on the state population.
A match of 25 percent is required.
 
(The total amount of funds for title IV is not specified.  Block grants
usually involve significantly less funding than the total of the programs
in the consolidation.  Current funding for adult education and literacy
programs totals about $400 million.  Thus, the library percentage might
amount to much less than the current $142 million in library program
funding.)
 
ACTION NEEDED: LSTA PROVIDES A LIBRARY BLOCK GRANT SUBSTITUTE
 
ACTION NEEDED:  More information will be forthcoming as these block grant
proposals evolve.  The message for library supporters on Library
Legislative Day, May 9, to convey to Representatives is:
 
  o  Include the library community's proposed Library Services and
     Technology Act, in simplified block grant form, in the House
     Opportunities Committee block grant proposal as a substitute for the
     May 3 draft library provision.
 
WHY LSTA?  The proposed Library Services and Technology Act, cooperatively
developed by the library community, is already a major consolidation,
simplification, and updating of LSCA.  Simplified to essentials, it would
provide a more flexible library block grant to stimulate improved library
service for a broader range of government purposes and to meet the needs of
the public for information.
 
LSTA would ensure that libraries use new technology and provide outreach
services:
  o  not just for lifelong learning and literacy, but also for
  o  organizing and providing access to government information
  o  undergirding economic development
  o  providing consumer health information
  o  providing incentives for interlibrary cooperation, since most local
     funding serves local purposes
  o  adapting new technologies for cross-boundary information sharing
  o  extending outreach to those for whom library service requires extra
     effort or special materials (new Americans, individuals with
     disabilities)
 
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                  LIBRARY PROGRAM FUNDING/AUTHORIZATION ISSUES
                         IN A CHANGED POLITICAL CLIMATE
 
The following is part of the packet of Fact Sheets to be distributed on
National Library Legislative Day along with other materials designed to
help library advocates make informed contacts with their Senators and
Representatives.
 
               LIBRARY PROGRAM FUNDING/AUTHORIZATION ISSUES
                      IN A CHANGED POLITICAL CLIMATE
                             Status Update
                                            |      FY95 Proposed Defunding
                                            |    House
                                     FY95   |    Approp.    House    Senate
        Programs                     Funding|  Committee    Passed   Passed
 
Library Services and Construction Act
   II, public lib. construction      $  17.8    $  15.3   $  15.3    $  0
   VI, library literacy                  8.0        8.0       0         0
Higher Education Act II
   II-B, library ed. & training          4.9        4.9       4.9       2.9
   II-B, library research & demo.        6.5        6.5       6.5       0
 
                         TOTALS                 $  34.7   $  26.7    $  2.9
 
FY95 RESCISSIONS
Library supporters have already had an effect on the FY95 rescissions (or
defunding) of appropriations approved for library programs by last year's
Congress. Of the $34.7 million in cuts to FY95 library programs first
proposed by the House Appropriations Committee, $8 million was restored on
the House floor, and $23.8 million more was restored by the Senate
Appropriations Committee. At that point, FY95 cuts were moderated from
$34.7 million to $2.9 million.
 
The Senate passed its version of H.R. 1158 on April 6.  The Senate cut $2.9
million from library education and training.  Senate and House conferees
will be selected, and agreement on the final bill will be made by
conferees.  Both houses have to approve the conference report.  If this has
not occurred before Library Legislative Day, library supporters will have
an opportunity to speak about the importance of library programs and the
need to approve the Senate version of the bill.
 
FY96 CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET
H.R. 1219, approved by the House Budget Committee on March 23, would impose
stiff budget caps on discretionary spending. Chairman John Kasich's (R-OH)
list of illustrative cuts needed to reach budget targets includes $163
million in cuts over five years to categorical library programs. No details
are given, but this translates roughly into a $33 million cut each year, or
approximately the same as the original House rescission package for
libraries zeroing out HEA II programs and LSCA II and VI.
 
FY96 APPROPRIATIONS
House and Senate appropriations subcommittees will complete hearings in
May, and then schedule markup sessions to decide on recommended levels of
funding for individual programs. Subcommittees will have a smaller pie to
slice up because of budget caps, and staff are predicting substantial cuts
in all programs for FY96. Competition among good programs will be intense.
Funding for new programs, such as the ESEA III-F School Library Media
Resources Program enacted in the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994,
will be especially difficult.
 
REAUTHORIZATIONS
LSCA. General reaction to the library community's proposed Library Services
and Technology Act has been favorable. However, during the first 100 days,
neither House nor Senate have focused on reauthorization of relatively
small programs such as the Library Services and Construction Act. The House
Economic and Educational Opportunities Committee staff is giving some
consideration to including library components in one or more of the block
grants being developed in the areas of job training and adult education and
literacy.
 
NEH/NEA. Hearings have been held on the Arts and Humanities Endowments,
which must be reauthorized to be funded in FY96. The Senate Labor and Human
Resources Committee is expected to send a reauthorization bill to the
floor. The outlook is more uncertain in the House. Many Capitol Hill
observers expect the Endowments to squeak through with some kind of
renewal, although both may be cut substantially.
 
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ALAWON (ISSN 1069-7799) is an irregular publication of the American Library
Association Washington Office, 110 Maryland Avenue, N.E., Washington, DC
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Fax: 202-547-7363.  Contributing to this issue:  Carol C. Henderson;
Editor: Lynne E. Bradley (leb@alawash.org).
 
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