ALAWON v4n71 (July 27, 1995)
URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/alawon/alawon-v4n71

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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 71
                                 July 27, 1995

   In this issue: (121 lines)
     HOUSE RULES COMMITTEE DELAYS DECISION ON TELECOM. BILL, HR 1555
     POSTAL RATE COMMISSION CONFIRMS LIBRARY RATE IS OVERSTATED

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        HOUSE RULES COMMITTEE DELAYS DECISION ON TELECOM. BILL, HR 1555

The House Rules Committee did not schedule time to adopt rules for the
House to address HR 1555, the Communications Act of 1995.  Nor is it
expected that they will deal with the issue this week.  In one of those
"hurry up and wait" situations, ALA and other education supporters had been
advised that the Committee would act this week.  The latest speculation is
that it may come to the Rules Committee on Tuesday, August 1.  Some
observers predict that action on HR 1555 will be delayed until after the
summer recess.

Reps. Constance Morella (R-MD) and William Orton (D-UT) are prepared to
introduce an amendment that would add in language including "affordable"
and "public libraries" to the Section 246 (b) (5) on universal service.
(see previous ALAWON, Vol. 4, No. 70 for details.)  In order for Reps.
Morella and Orton to proceed with their amendment on the House floor, the
House Rules Committee must adopt procedures to allow its introduction
during floor debate.  The situation remains "fluid" and library supporters
should continue to press the Rules Committee and any other Congressional
library champions to support procedures that would allow the Morella-Orton
amendment to be introduced on HR 1555.

ACTION NEEDED:  Please continue to contact the House Rules Committee to ask
them to approve rules that would allow a library-related amendment to be
introduced.  Supporters should also ask other congressional representatives
to write letters to the Rules Committee asking for consideration of the
Morella-Orton amendment AND to support the amendment if and when it comes
to the floor during debate on HR 1555.

An updated list of the members of the House Rules Committee with available
fax and email information follows:

                             House Rules Committee

ST Representative (Party)        Phone     Fax       E-Mail
== ==========================    ========  ========  ============
   Chairman                        Area Code 202     @hr.house.gov
NY Solomon, Gerald B. (R)        225-5614  225-6234
CA Beilenson, Anthony (D)        225-5911  225-0092
CA Dreier, David (R)             225-2305  225-7018
CO McInnis, Scott (R)            225-4761  226-0622
FL Diaz-Balart, Lincoln (R)      225-4211  225-8576
FL Goss, Porter J. (R)           225-2536  225-6820
GA Linder, John (R)              225-4272  225-4696  jlinder
MA Moakley, John Joseph (D)      225-8273  225-3984  jmoakley
OH Hall, Tony P. (D)             225-6465  225-6766
OH Pryce, Deborah (R)            225-2015  226-0986
TN Quillen, James H. (R)         225-6356  225-7812
TX Frost, Martin (D)             225-3605  225-4951  frost
UT Waldholtz, Enid (R)           225-3011  225-3491  enidutah
   All e-mail addresses end with suffix at top of e-mail column.

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           POSTAL RATE COMMISSION CONFIRMS LIBRARY RATE IS OVERSTATED

On June 30, Edward Gleiman, Chairman of the Postal Rate Commission, wrote
to J. Sam Winters, Chairman of the Board of Governors, United States Postal
Service, concerning an apparent overstatement of nearly 11 percent in the
Postal Service's cost data for the library rate.

Chairman Gleiman's inquiry is fallout from the 1994 postal rate case, which
led to a 69.9 percent increase in the library rate on January 1, 1995.  ALA
argued during the case that the proposed increase was based on inflated
Postal Service cost data.  The Commission accepted the data, however, and
approved nearly the full increase requested.

The rate increase has had a devastating impact on library books-by-mail
services, interlibrary loan book delivery, and delivery of books
specifically requested by library patrons.  Cutbacks in these library
services fall hardest on those who live far from a local library, those who
need materials from a library in another county or state, and those who are
homebound or institutionalized.

Chairman Gleiman's renewed attention to the issue was prompted by the
recent release of Postal Service data (the USPS Cost and Revenue Analysis,
Fiscal Year 1994) showing that actual costs for library rate mail in FY94
were 10.83 percent lower for an average piece of library rate mail than the
Postal Service had estimated during the rate case.  "It appears the
estimated costs were overstated," Gleiman concluded.  "Action by the
Governors to propose correcting the library rate appears warranted."

Chairman Gleiman shared his letter with the ALA Washington Office, and
Executive Director Carol Henderson has asked for a copy of any reply from
the Postal Service.  The ALA Washington Office will alert members to any
further developments, including any that warrant grassroots action.

PHASING AFFECTS RATE.  Nonprofit postal rate increases due to the Revenue
Forgone Reform Act are phased in over several steps.  In October of this
year, Step 3 takes effect, with Step 4 effective a year later.  For the
fourth-class library rate, only packages weighing over 7 pounds are
affected:

Library Rate             Step 2         Step 3         Step 4
                         Current        10/1/95        10/1/96

First pound               $1.12          $1.12          $1.12
Each addit. lb.
  through 7 lbs.          $ .41          $ .41          $ .41
Each addit. lb.
  over 7 lbs.             $ .20          $ .21          $ .22

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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
20002-5675.  Internet: alawash@alawash.org; Phone: 202-547-4440;
Fax: 202-547-7363.  Contributing to this issue:  Carol C. Henderson;
Editor: Lynne E. Bradley (leb@alawash.org).

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