Please note Item 1 of the attached. The Council is under the Interior Appropriations Bill, and I heard on NPR this morning that the continuing resolution will fund most everything at reduced rates, except for "a dozen or so smaller agencies." The Council is only $3 mil. Call you Representative and tell him that you want EVERYTHING to be funded at reduced amounts, and not to cherry pick what they want. Tom Wheaton Exec Dir - ACRA --------------------- Forwarded message: From: [log in to unmask] (Page Miller) To: [log in to unmask] (NCC Mailings), [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask] Date: 96-01-25 06:34:52 EST NCC Washington Update, vol. 2, no. 2, January 25, 1996 by Page Putnam Miller, Director of the National Coordinating Committee for the Promotion of History 1. Vote on 4th Continuing Resolution Set for Tomorrow Implications for NEH and Historic Preservation 2. Dates Set For Copyright Hearings 3. Government Printing Office Plans for Electronic Depository Library 4. Congress Plans Long February Recess 1. Vote on 4th Continuing Resolution Set for Tomorrow, Implications for NEH and Historic Preservation -- As January 26, the date when the third Continuing Resolution expires, draws nearer, there is increased speculation concerning the possible terms for the 4th Continuing Resolution. A vote in the House is set for the afternoon of January 25. Since the appropriations bills that include the National Archives, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, and the Library of Congress have been passed, the FY'96 budgets for these agencies will not be affected by the Continuing Resolution. However, for the agencies that come under those appropriations bills that have not passed, such as the Interior Appropriations Bill, the terms of the 4th Continuing Resolution are of tremendous importance. The latest conjecture by many Congress watchers is that the 4th Continuing Resolution will fund agencies in the Interior Appropriations Bill at the level of the Interior Conference Report and that this funding will cover the period of January 27 to March 1. If this does prove to be the case, this will be basically good news for NEH. Funding for NEH under this scenario would be at $110 million, an increase over the funding level of the third Continuing Resolution which funded NEH at $99.5 million, the amount in the House Interior Appropriations Bill. If the Conference Report levels are adopted, the funding levels for historic preservation would be: a 5% cut from FY'95 levels for the state historic preservation programs, a 15% cut from FY'95 levels for the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and a 50% cut from last year's level for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. There is a possibility that new and controversial anti-abortion language may be added to this Continuing Resolution. This would have the potential of causing a Presidential veto. There is also a possibility that Congress could pass and send to the President another version of the Interior Appropriations Bill. If signed, the Interior Appropriations Bill for FY'96 would take precedence over the Continuing Resolution. The House and Senate Interior Appropriations Committees have resumed negotiations on the Interior Bill, but it is unclear what progress is being made. 2. Dates Set For Copyright Hearings -- On February 7 and 8 the House Judiciary Committee will hold hearings on H.R. 2441, the National Information Infrastructure Copyright Protection Act, a bill to adapt copyright law to the digital, networked environment of the information highway. On November 15 the House and Senate Judiciary Committees held a joint hearing on this legislation and heard from government witnesses. The upcoming House hearing will include six panels and twenty non-government witnesses. Most of the panels will deal with such issues as music licensing, concerns of software companies, trademark issues, and concerns of on-line service providers. However, there will be one panel that will speak to library related issues. This legislation deals with several areas of specific concern to scholars, librarians, and archivists: clarification of terms regarding digital transmission of copies; exemptions for libraries and archives for preservation activities; exemptions for the visually impaired; and establishment of a criminal copyright violation provision. The concern of many in the library and scholarly community is how the provisions for "fair use" for library and educational purposes that are in the existing copyright law will be affected by the new legislative proposals. H.R. 2441, and S. 1248, the parallel bill in the Senate, appear to make fairly modest changes, and there is no mention in the bills to "fair use.". Yet the language of the legislation makes clear that transmissions constitute a public distribution and that transmissions are within the exclusive domain of copyright proprietors. Under this proposed legislation, the role of "fair use" in the digital environment seems in doubt. Striking the proper balance between ensuring the commercial interests of copyright holders and protecting pub lic interest as well as educational aspects of copyright law is crucial. The Senate will probably be holding a hearing on this legislation in March and will attempt to address some of the issues not covered in the February House hearings. 3. Government Printing Office Plans for Electronic Depository Library Program -- In December the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) released a report titled "The Electronic Federal Depository Library Program: Transition Plan, FY 1996 - FY 1998." The plan states that GPO "expects that nearly all of the information provided through the Federal Depository Library Program will be electronic by the end of fiscal year 1998." Currently there are about 1400 depository libraries, with at least one in every congressional district and many associated with universities. The Federal Depository Library Program, which guarantees public accessibility to federal information at no cost to the user, has been a vital component in the overall federal information policy. Many in the scholarly and library communities applaud GPO's commitment to providing government information electronically; however, this report does raise concerns about: how the majority of Americans -- who still rely on information in a paper format - - will gain access to government information during this transition period; how long term access will be ensured; and how many of the depository libraries will be able to become electronically-capable in the period allowed. The plan does state that a bout 15 titles will continue to be available in paper as well as electronically. This core group includes the Congressional Record, the United States Congressional Serial Set, the Federal Register, the Budget of the United States Government, and the Foreign Relations of the U. S., a documentary history series of the State Department. 4. Congress Plans Long February Recess -- Congress is moving into the election year mode. Although the dates are not firm, it appears that Congress will take a long February recess that may last from February 1 to February 26. Members will be in their home districts for much of this period, providing a good opportunity for meetings with constituents. While no votes are taken during recesses, there will be some hearings, such as the copyright hearing.