[This message has been sent to AALL members and the Law-Lib listserv; please
excuse the duplication]
SENATE COSPONSORS NEEDED FOR S. 2288, THE "WENDELL H. FORD GOVERNMENT
PUBLICATIONS REFORM ACT OF 1998"
The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration has scheduled its mark-up
hearing on S. 2288 for THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10th. Our immediate goal is to
have ALL MEMBERS OF THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE (see list below) cosponsor S.
2288 by the time of
the mark-up hearing.
Over the course of the past week, I have personally visited with the staff
members listed below, and for many, that visit was their first real look at
the legislation and its importance to the library community and to the
public's right to government information. In addition, since the July 29th
Senate Rules Committee hearing on S. 2288 at which Bob Oakley testified in
full support of the legislation on behalf of AALL and the Inter-Association
Working Group on Government Information Policy (IAWG), opposition to many
provisions of the bill has been growing.
This opposition comes from representatives of the executive branch, the
judiciary, the National Archives and Records Administration, and the private
sector, including those whose interests are in the sale of duplicating
machines to federal agencies and in the privatization of government
publications.
While I am working closely with Senate staff to counter this opposition, we
need full grassroots support to urge all members of the Senate--particularly
those listed below as members of the Senate Rules Committee--to cosponsor
this bill. At this point in time, a SHORT FAXED LETTER is the most
effective lobbying tool so that there is a tangible record of constituent
support for staff to share with members of the Senate.
Suggested "talking points" follow. Bob's testimony of July 29th and his
response to follow-up questions from the hearing are at:
http://www.ll.georgetown.edu/aallwash/testimony.html.
AALL MEMBERS NEED TO STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PARTICIPATION OF THE
COURTS IN THIS REFORM OF TITLE 44. Please see the Q & A from Senator Warner
to Bob regarding access to court opinions at:
http://www.ll.georgetown.edu/aallwash/tm0729a2.html.
Additional information about S. 2288 is also available from the IAWG website
at: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/IAWG.
ACTION NEEDED:
* Urge your Senators to cosponsor S. 2288, the "Wendell H. Ford Government
Publications Reform Act of 1998" and to support its enactment when it is
considered by the Rules
Committee and/or the full Senate.
REASONS TO SUPPORT S. 2288:
* S. 2288 is important legislation the will IMPROVE AND ENHANCE PUBLIC
ACCESS, and will bring Title 44 and the Federal Depository Library Program
into the electronic age. Our democracy is based on the right of all
citizens to participate in their government. The convergence of
technological innovation coupled with a lack of compliance with current
U.S.C. Title 44 together create barriers to the public's ability to locate
and use government information.
* S. 2288 will resolve the "fugitive documents" problem and stop the erosion
of public access to government publications occurring today. It will ensure
that the public has access to government information, paid for at taxpayer
expense, from all three branches of government--INCLUDING THE FEDERAL
COURTS.
* S. 2288 will ensure that electronic government publications are preserved
and permanently available for current and future users. This will address
the current loss of government information taking place on a daily basis as
agencies delete files from their Web sites without first providing for
ongoing access.
ENACTMENT OF S. 2288 NEEDED THIS YEAR:
* Every day that goes by that the reforms in S. 2288 are not in place, the
American public loses access to important government information that they
have paid for and that they have a right to
access. S. 2288 must be enacted this year to stop the erosion of public
access; to ensure compliance by agencies from all three branches of
government with their dissemination responsibilities; and to ensure current
and future access to electronic government publications.
* Congress and the Administration have been examining Title 44 issues for
several years. S. 2288 is the result of extensive discussions and
negotiations with a broad array of stakeholders
over the past 18+ months. The library community has been a full and
proactive player in these negotiations, AND WE REPRESENT THE AMERICAN
PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO ACCESS GOVERNMENT INFORMATION. The congressional
leadership is in place now to see that the process is completed by the end
of the 105th Congress. S. 2288 must be enacted this year.
Thank you for your immediate attention to this critically important matter.
Please be sure to identify yourself as a member of AALL in your
correspondence with your Senators, and to send us a copy. Thank you very
much,
Mary Alice Baish
AALL Assistant Washington Affairs Representative
202.662.9200
FAX: 202.662.9202
baish@law.georgetown.edu
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SENATE COMMITTEE ON RULES AND ADMINISTRATION - STAFF CONTACTS
John Warner (R-VA), Chairman -- CO-SPONSOR OF S.2288
Staff: Grayson Winterling 202-224-8824; FAX: 202-224-6295
Jesse Helms (R-NC)
Staff: Joe Lanier 202-224-6342; FAX: 202-224-5809
Ted Stevens (R-AK)
Staff: Butch Burke 202-224-3004; FAX: 202-224-2354
Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Staff: Leslie Cupp 202-224-2541; FAX: 202-224-2499
Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Staff: Michael Loeshe 202-224-5054; FAX: 202-224-9450
Rick Santorum (R-PA)
Staff: Will Sears 202-224-6324; FAX: 202-228-0604
Don Nickles (R-OK)
Staff: Kourtney Spencer 202-224-5754; FAX:202-224-6008
Trent Lott (R-MS)
Staff: Robert Wilkey 202-224-3135; FAX: 202-224-2262
Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)
Staff: Quin Dodd 202-224-5922; FAX: 202-224-0776
Wendell Ford (D-KY), Ranking Minority Member -- CO-SPONSOR OF
S.2288
Staff: Kennie Gill 202-224-6351; FAX: 202-224-5400
Robert Byrd (D-WV)
Staff: 202-224-3954; FAX: 202-228-0002
Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
Staff: Chrystin Alston 202-224-3934; FAX: 202-224-6747
Daniel Moynihan (D-NY)
Staff: Mark Bradley 202-224-4451; FAX: 202-228-0406
Christopher Dodd (D-CT)
Staff: Allison Marinoff 202-224-2823; FAX: 202-224-1083
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Staff: Matt Miller 202-224-3841; FAX: 202-228-4741
Robert Torricelli (D-NJ)
Staff: Keith Roachford 202-224-3224; FAX: 202-224-8567
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