[OPLINLIST] From the ALA Washington Office: IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED: Ask Farm Bill Conferees to Keep Libraries in Rural Telecommunications Section of H.R. 2419

[Hickson, Pamela]

I am forwarding this to OPLINLIST because one of Ohio's senators and two
of our representatives are committee members.


 

I've deleted the other Senators and Representatives but feel free to go
to http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=368 for the complete list.

 

Pam Hickson-Stevenson

Ohio Chapter Councilor to the American Library Association

 

 


IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED: Ask Farm Bill Conferees to Keep Libraries in
Rural Telecommunications Section of H.R. 2419


<http://www.capwiz.com/ala/issues/alert/?alertid=10984226>  
<http://www.capwiz.com/ala/issues/alert/?alertid=10984226>  
<http://www.capwiz.com/ala/issues/alert/?alertid=10984226> For Those
With Senators and Representatives on Agriculture Committees

Ask all Members of both the Senate and House Agriculture Committees (see
list below) to support the Senate version of the Farm, Nutrition, and
Bioenergy Act of 2007 (H.R. 2419
<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.02419:> ), Section
6302, to include "libraries" in the rural telecommunications program:
"Telemedicine, Library Connectivity, and Distance Learning Services in
Rural Areas." The conference committee on H.R. 2419 is meeting now and
library supporters are needed to keep messages going into the conferees.


For Other Library Supporters

Contact all of your respective Senators and Representatives and ask them
to contact Farm Bill conferees to keep libraries in Section 6302.

Background

Amendments in the Senate version of the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy
Act of 2007 (H.R. 2419) add libraries serving rural communities into
Section 6302: Telemedicine, Library Connectivity, and Distance Learning
Services in Rural Areas. This amendment acknowledges and would support
the important role that public libraries play in providing rural areas
access to broadband services, leveling the playing field for rural
residents. It also promotes partnerships with other participants in this
existing program - such as community colleges and K-12 schools.

The amendment language promotes partnerships and collaborations to help
fill the missing links in the extension and building out of rural
broadband services. This is NOT like the E-rate or other programs and
could close the broadband gap in rural America.

There is no similar language in the House version of the Farm Bill, thus
library supporters must mount a major grassroots effort during the Farm
Bill conference. The battle now is to pressure conferees to include the
Senate language in the conference negotiations.

For further information, please contact:

Lynne Bradley
Director, ALA Office of Government Relations (OGR)
lbradley at alawash.org
800-941-8478

SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION AND FORESTRY
FAX: 202-224-1725

Majority

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)



HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
FAX: 202-225-8510

Majority 

Rep. Zack Space (D-OH-18)

Minority

Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH-2)
Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH-5)

 

 

Pamela J. Hickson-Stevenson, Assistant Director

Akron-Summit County Public Library

60 S. High Street

Akron, OH  44326

 

Phone 330.643.9102

Fax 330.643.9160

 

phs at akronlibrary.org <mailto:phs at akronlibrary.org> 

www.akronlibrary.org <http://www.akronlibrary.org>  

 

The Akron-Summit County Public Library provides resources for learning
and leisure, information services, meeting spaces, and programs for all
ages that support, improve, and enrich individual, family, and community
life.

 

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