ALAWON v4n74 (August 4, 1995)
URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/alawon/alawon-v4n74

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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 74
                              August 4, 1995

   In this issue: (304 lines)
     HOUSE COMMITTEE ISSUES REPORT ON LSTA BLOCK GRANT BILL, H.R. 1617

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     HOUSE COMMITTEE ISSUES REPORT ON LSTA BLOCK GRANT BILL, H.R. 1617

On May 24, the House Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities
approved by a vote of 29-5 a revised version of H.R. 1617, the Consolidated
and Reformed Education, Employment, and Rehabilitation Systems (CAREERS)
Act.  This bill includes the Library Services and Technology Consolidation
Grant, a modified version of the Library Services and Technology Act
proposal.

The Opportunities Committee issued its report (H. Rept. 104-152) on June
22, and the 746-page report and the text (233 pages) of the revised H.R.
1617 have recently become available.  The next step is House floor action,
not expected until after the August recess (that is, after Labor Day).

SUMMARY OF BILL.  A concise summary of this large bill is provided by the
Congressional Budget Office in its cost estimate, included in the committee
report:

     H.R. 1617 would repeal the authorizations of appropriations for
     many education, job training, and vocational rehabilitation
     programs.  This bill also would modify other education and labor
     programs for the purpose of consolidating and reforming workforce
     development and literacy programs.  In place of the programs
     repealed, four new consolidated state grant programs would be
     established beginning in 1997, and a substantially revised and
     consolidated vocational rehabilitation state grant program would
     be phased in by 1999.  The four new consolidated state grants
     created by the bill would be: the Youth Workforce Preparation and
     Development Consolidation Grant; the Adult Employment and
     Training Consolidation Grant; the Adult Education and Family
     Literacy Consolidation Grant; and the Library Technology
     Consolidation Grant.

LIBRARY TECHNOLOGY EMPHASIS.  Title IV of H.R. 1617 includes two
consolidations--adult education and family literacy (subtitle A), and
library services and technology (subtitle B).  The Library Services and
Technology Consolidation Grant is a much briefer and modified version of
LSTA.  The LSTA, as developed by ALA and other library groups, was focused
equally on technology and outreach services.  The Committee's library block
grant is focused much more (although not exclusively) on technology.
Excerpts from the report explain the Committee's rationale:

          The Committee recognizes the valuable role America's
     libraries have played in ensuring that all Americans have equal
     access to information.  When the Library Services and
     Construction Act was first authorized in 1956, the goal of this
     program was to ensure that all Americans had access to libraries
     and the information they contain.  The Committee is pleased to
     note that today, 96 percent of all Americans have access to
     libraries.
          However, this nation is currently undergoing a technological
     revolution and recently, we have witnessed a tremendous
     proliferation in new sources of information.  This trend will not
     only continue, but is certain to accelerate.  It is clear that
     America's libraries will need to take advantage of these new
     technologies if they are to continue to ensure that all Americans
     have equal access to information.
          A 1994 study conducted by the U.S. National Commission on
     Libraries and Information Science found that only 20.9 percent of
     America's 9,050 public libraries had any involvement with the
     Internet.  Of these, only 13 percent reported that they offered
     patrons access to the Internet.  It is clear that the time has
     come for a shift in Federal library policy, and that shift must
     be toward helping this country's libraries, and ultimately the
     American public, gain access to the technologies and information
     they will need as we move into the 21st century.
          The Committee reported bill will do just that.  It
     consolidates the Library Services and Construction Act, the
     Academic Library and Information Services provisions in Title II
     of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and the Elementary and
     Secondary School Library Media Resources program from the
     Elementary and Secondary Education Act into one Federal libraries
     program focused on helping all libraries acquire cutting edge
     technologies.
          Library Services Technology Consolidation grants will
     provide for library service to citizens through the use of new
     information technologies.  They will help bring America's
     libraries, public, elementary and secondary schools, and
     academics, into the 21st century.  They will help libraries form
     electronic linkages with one another to better share resources,
     and they will give all Americans access to new and better sources
     of information, such as the Internet.  In addition, libraries
     will use these funds to forge connections with one-stop career
     centers providing a unique resource for those who wish to find or
     improve careers.
          Central to this mission is the philosophy that access to
     electronic information resources must be both democratic and
     egalitarian.  Libraries and Librarians must be well equipped to
     help patrons navigate the information superhighway and provide
     access to the wealth of information available; government
     information, library resources, education and job information.
     For millions of Americans, the library will become the on-ramp to
     the information superhighway....
          ...Just as the Library Services and Construction Act
     provided access to libraries for millions of Americans, Library
     Services Technology Consolidation grants will give Americans
     equal access to the information sources of the 21st Century.

ADDITIONAL CONSOLIDATION.  LSTA as developed by ALA and other library
groups was designed to replace only LSCA.  The Committee's much briefer and
modified block grant version of grants to the states does not and cannot
replace other types of grants for school library materials, special
projects at academic and research libraries, fellowship and training
programs, and large research and demonstration projects.  However, the
Opportunities Committee chose to replace all Department of Education
library programs with its Library Services and Technology Consolidation
Grant.  H. Rept. 104-152 provides this rationale:

          Several Federal programs and agencies provide assistance to
     elementary and secondary, college and university, and public
     libraries....
          Of the major programs..., the Elementary and Secondary
     School Library Media Resources Program was authorized at a
     $200,000,000 level in 1994, but has received no funding to date.
          Funding for library programs under Title II of the Higher
     Education Act in 1995 was somewhat better--approximately $11.4
     million.
          On the other hand, the Library Services and Construction
     Act, which is the largest Federal program of assistance
     specifically to libraries, received $132.7 million in 1995....As
     amended in 1990, the LSCA contains eight titles authorizing aid
     for many different, and in some cases, duplicative activities....
          Rather than continue to spend limited Federal dollars on
     multiple activities, the Committee believes it is more efficient
     to narrowly focus Federal assistance upon one area--electronic
     technology.  Accordingly, Subtitle B of Title IV of H.R. 1617
     consolidates the major Federal library service programs into a
     single categorical grant which will be used to improve public
     access to information through electronic networks, and provide
     linkages among and between libraries and one-stop career center
     systems.

REPEALS--SCHOOL LIBRARY PROGRAM.  In addition to repealing the current
Library Services and Construction Act, H.R. 1617 would repeal the School
Library Media Resources Program, Part F of the Technology for Education Act
of 1994 (title III of the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994, the
omnibus measure that revised and replaced the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act).

Section 3 of H.R. 1617 contains definitions, and indicates that the term
"library" includes a public library, a public elementary or secondary
school library, an academic library, a research library, and a private
library (if the state in which it is located determines to include it for
purposes of the act).  Assistance under the library block grant could
certainly be used for electronic linkages with school library media
centers, but not for widespread acquisition of books and other library
materials as intended under the 1994 school library media resources
program.

REPEALS--HEA LIBRARY PROGRAMS.  During Committee consideration of H.R.
1617, the Higher Education Act provisions (primarily privatization of the
Student Loan Marketing Association and the College Construction Loan
Insurance Association) were pulled out of the bill for separate
consideration and revision.  The HEA provisions have been incorporated in a
new bill, H.R. 1720, the Privatization Act of 1995.  The Opportunities
Committee approved a revised version of the bill on June 8 by a voice vote,
and the Committee report (H. Rept. 104-153) was issued on June 22.

As in the original H.R. 1617, H.R. 1720 includes a long list of HEA
programs to be repealed, including all HEA library programs.  H. Rept. 104-
153 states:  "Recognizing that this is a time of scarce taxpayer dollars,
the Committee believes eliminating and consolidating small categorical
programs will result in a more prudent and focused use of these scarce
dollars."  The report notes that most of the programs to be repealed "are
taken directly from the Administration's 1996 budget."

HEA library or library-related programs to be repealed include all HEA
title II Academic Library and Information Services programs (only HEA II-B
education/training, and research/demonstrations are currently funded; II-A,
II-C, and II-D are not now funded); Foreign Language Periodicals (not
currently funded, section 607 of title VI, International Education); and
Improvement of Academic and Library Facilities (Part A of title VI,
currently not funded).  Rep. Major Owens (D-NY) attempted to remove repeals
of library programs, but was not successful.

All Opportunities Committee Democrats except Rep. Robert Andrews (D-NJ)
filed joint minority views, included in the report, in which they
"vigorously object to the provisions in this bill that repeal 53 existing
higher education programs.  These provisions were repealed without the
benefit of any hearing, public comment period, or the opportunity for
interested parties to inform us of their views or concerns.  This is not
the way this committee should conduct its business."

The minority views single out library program for comment:  "At the heart
of our educational system lie the nation's libraries.  But not even these
centers of community learning are being spared in the Republicans' haste to
slash the budget."  The currently funded HEA II-B "makes a major difference
in recruitment of minorities in the field of library science and in
supporting doctoral candidates who later replenish faculty in library
schools" and "supports major research and demonstration projects in library
science which otherwise would not exist."

ADVANCE FUNDING OF LIBRARY BLOCK GRANT.  One feature of H.R. 1617 that was
not previously apparent comes to light in the Committee-reported version.
It is both an advantage and a problem.  Section 6 provides that
appropriations "under this Act shall be available for obligation only on
the basis of a program year.  The program year shall begin on July 1 in the
fiscal year for which the appropriation is made."  Further, funds "may be
expended by each recipient during that program year and the two succeeding
program years..."

What this means is that the library block grant would be advance funded;
that is, funds appropriated in one fiscal year would not become available
for obligation until the following year.  The existing LSCA is funded on a
current-year basis.  Advance funding allows for better planning, but also
leaves funding more susceptible to rescission.  The biggest problem the
switch would cause for the library program in this budget-cutting climate
is a gap of nearly one fiscal year without funding unless appropriators
provided extra dollars in the start-up year (FY97).

ALA has recommended to the Opportunities Committee a technical amendment
that would provide an exception to this provision so that the library
funding would continue on a current year basis under the bill.

LIBRARY ELIGIBILITY IN LITERACY PROGRAMS.  Libraries are eligible for
participation in other programs in H.R. 1617, either through specific
mention, or through eligibility for schools and agencies of local
government.  Libraries are included in the list of local service providers
under the title IV adult education and family literacy grants to states,
and all these local service providers, including libraries, "shall be
provided direct and equitable access to Federal funds provided under this
subtitle..."  H. Rept. 104-152 adds:  The Committee believes that libraries
have served and continue to serve as an important resource for literacy
services."  Title IV, subtitle A, would be authorized at $280 million.

ONE-STOP CAREER CENTERS.  Title I, Workforce Development Infrastructure,
would require the governors to establish statewide criteria for workforce
development boards to designate one-stop career center systems.  These one-
stop career centers would include common intake, preliminary assessment,
and integrated job search assistance.  The library block grant clearly
indicates that libraries should be electronically linked to these one-stop
career centers.  State officials representing libraries must be included by
the governor in the state collaborative process required in order to
receive funds under any of the state grants in the bill.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT/VOC. ED.  Title II, Youth Development and Career
Preparation Consolidation Grant, would consolidate and replace vocational
education and Job Training Partnership Act youth programs at a total $2.3
billion authorization.  Funds are provided to states, and within states, to
local educational agencies, postsecondary institutions, local workforce
development boards, and secondary-postsecondary consortia.  Subgrants are
also authorized for in-school and at-risk youth.  Eligible providers of
youth development and career preparation programs for at-risk youth include
several types of educational and correctional institutions, units of local
government, and one-stop career centers.

NATIVE AMERICANS.  Title III, Adult Employment and Training Consolidation
Grant, would be authorized at $2.3 billion.  Most of the appropriations
would go for grants to states, but 15 percent would be reserved for several
federal programs including grants for dislocated workers, disaster relief
employment assistance, workforce skills and development loans, and research
and evaluation.  Section 315 of the federal programs is Employment,
Training, and Education Assistance for Native Americans.  The Secretary of
Labor is to provide an unspecified amount from the 15 percent for
assistance to Indian tribes and related entities for "employment, training,
vocational rehabilitation, library services, and education assistance for
Native Americans."

H. Rept. 104-152 explains:  "The CAREERS Act consolidates seven existing
programs for Native Americans as part of the overall adult consolidation
grant.  Funds for Native Americans are maintained at the Federal level and
available to eligible tribes and service providers."  Because of this
consolidation, no setaside for library services for Native Americans is
included in the library block grant.

HEARINGS.  H. Rept. 104-152 summarizes the hearings related to the purposes
of H.R. 1617.  Although no hearing was devoted specifically to the library
provision, the report notes that Anne Campbell, Director of the National
City (CA) Public Library, testified on library literacy programs at the
April 25 hearing in San Diego held by the Subcommittee on Early Childhood,
Youth and Families.  The same subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Randy (Duke)
Cunningham (R-CA), held a hearing on May 2 in Washington, D.C., at which
Jeanne Hurley Simon, Chair of the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and
Information Science, testified.

ALA RESOLUTIONS.  On June 28 during the ALA Annual Conference, the ALA
Council passed two resolutions that relate to H.R. 1617.  One (CD #20.11)
commended the Opportunities Committee, and specifically Reps. Randy
Cunningham (R-CA), William Goodling (R-PA), and Dale Kildee (D-MI) for
including elements of ALA's LSTA proposal in H.R. 1617.  The other (CD
#20.12) urged retention and funding of the school library media resources
program.  Both have been transmitted to appropriate legislators.


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