[OPLINLIST] Contact Congress TODAY Regarding Federal Funding for America's Li braries

[Jane Byrnes]

----------
From: 	ALAWASH E-MAIL[SMTP:ALAWASH@alawash.org]
<mailto:[SMTP:ALAWASH@alawash.org]>=20
Sent: 	Monday, March 22, 2004 1:48 PM
To: 	ALA Washington Office Newsline
Subject: 	[ALA-WO:905] Contact Congress TODAY Regarding Federal
Funding for America's Libraries

ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline
Volume 13, Number 18
March 22, 2004

In This Issue: CONTACT YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS IMMEDIATELY AND ASK THEM
TO SUPPORT FEDERAL FUNDING FOR AMERICA'S LIBRARIES

In both the House and the Senate, Members of Congress are circulating
letters of support for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA)
and the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program to the =
House
and Senate Appropriations Committees.  Circulating the letters in
Congress are Representative Ra=FAl Grijalva (D-AZ) and Representative
Robert Simmons (R-CT) in the House of Representatives, and Senator Jack
Reed (D-RI) and Senator Susan M. Collins (R-ME) in the Senate.

The letters are addressed to the House and Senate Labor, Health and
Human Services and Education Appropriation Subcommittees and
respectfully request that the House and Senate include $232 million for
the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and $100 million for the
Improving Literary Through School Libraries program for FY 2005.

The LSTA and the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program
provide critical funding for libraries of all kinds nationwide.  Only =
by
including $232 million for the LSTA and $100 million for the Improving
Literacy Through School Libraries program in the Labor, Health and =
Human
Services, and Education Appropriations bill will we ensure that library
patrons of all ages have sufficient access to library and information
services, support recruiting and educating the next generation of
librarians, and provide libraries the resources they need to improve
literacy skills and academic achievement.

ALA's Washington Office strongly encourages ALA's membership to
immediately contact their elected officials in Congress and urge =
support
for these letters and federal library programs. Funding is tight this
year and competition is very strong among the many groups seeking
federal funding for the upcoming year.  With a March 24th deadline for
signatures on the letter in the House of Representatives, it is =
critical
that ALA members contact Congress in a timely manner and let them know
the importance of federal library programs.  Currently only the
following Members have signed on to the House letter: Rep. Michael
McNulty, Rep. James McGovern, Rep. Bob Etheridge, Rep. Donna
Christiansen, Rep. Chris VanHollen, Rep. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Henry
Waxman. =20
=20
If the number of signatures does not significantly increase, the letter
will not be taken seriously.  If your Member of Congress is not on the
letter, it is critical that you contact them immediately.  Time is of
the essence.=20

Visit ALA's website for more information on these letters at:
http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/WOissues/washfunding/funding.htm
<http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/WOissues/washfunding/funding.htm>=20

ACTION NEEDED: Contact your Member of Congress and ask them to please
sign the Rep. Grijalva-Rep. Simmons letter in the House and the Sen.
Reed-Sen. Collins letter in the Senate that support federal library
programs.  Please do not contact Rep. Grijalva, Rep. Simmons, Sen. Reed
or Sen. Collins directly.  Instead, ask your Representative's staff to
contact Rep. Grijalva, Rep. Simmons, Sen. Reed or Sen. Collins' staff =
to
add their Member's signature. =20

Use ALA's Washington Office Legislative Action Center at
http://capwiz.com/ala/home/ <http://capwiz.com/ala/home/>  to identify =
and
fax your Members of
Congress in both the House and the Senate. =20

You can also call your Member of Congress directly using the U.S.
Capitol switchboard at:  (202) 225-3121.




******
ALAWON (ISSN 1069-7799) is a free, irregular publication of the
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to
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