ALAWON v6, n71-ACTION ALERT: FDLP, LC, TIIAP; E-RATE REPORT
ALAWASH E-MAIL (ALAWASH@ALAWASH.ORG)
Wed, 13 Aug 1997 14:54:05 -0400
Date: Wed, 13 Aug 1997 14:54:05 -0400
Message-Id: <199708131858.OAA27533@comet.connix.com>
From: ALAWASH E-MAIL (ALAWASH E-MAIL) <ALAWASH@ALAWASH.ORG> (by way of mgolrick@sclc.org (Michael A. Golrick))
To: Multiple recipients of list <conntech>
Subject: ALAWON v6, n71-ACTION ALERT: FDLP, LC, TIIAP; E-RATE REPORT
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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.
_________________________________________________________________
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Contributors: Carol C. Henderson
Aleck Johnson
Anne Heanue
Mary Costabile
Claudette Tennant
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