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(FWD) NCC Washington Update, Vol 6, #19, June 8, 2000



NCC Washington Update, Vol 6, #19, June 8, 2000
by Page Putnam Miller <pagem@capaccess.org> and Bruce Craig
<Rbcraig3@juno.com> of the National Coordinating Committee for the
Promotion of History

1.   Appropriation Update
2.   President Signs Historic Preservation Act Reauthorization
3.   Defense Authorization Act Proposes New Limits on FOIA

1.  Appropriation Update
Although the House Republican leadership had said that they want to pass
most of the 13 appropriations bills prior to the July 4 recess, the
schedule for accomplishing that goal is slipping.  The Treasury, Postal
Service, and General Government Subcommittee just announced the
postponement of the markup that had been planned for June 8.  The markup
would have determined the subcommittee's recommendations for the FY 2001
budgets for the National Archives and the grants program of the National
Historical Publications and Records Commission.  The subcommittee has
not announced a new date for its consideration of the Treasury
Appropriations Bill.

Additionally, it appears that the Interior Appropriations Bill that was
expected to come to the floor for a vote this week will be delayed until
possibly the week of June 19.   There is an effort underway among a
bipartisan group of House members to introduce an amendment to the
Interior bill to increase the appropriations in FY 2001 for both the
National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the
Arts by $10 million.  That would bring the NEH budget up to $125.3
million and NEA budget up to $108 million.  Now is the time for those
who support this increase to contact their House member.  The offices of
all members of the House can be reached by telephone through the Capitol
Switchboard, at (202) 224-3121 or you may send a e-mail message to your
representative by going to the House web site
<http://www.house.gov/writerep/>

During the week of June 12, the House may consider the Legislative
Branch Appropriations Bill which includes the funding for the Government
Printing Office and the Library of Congress. The House Appropriations
Committee is sending to the floor a bill that would sharply cut funding
for the Government Printing Office and cripple the Federal Depository
Library Program which is one of the most important public sources of
government information.  The House bill also contains cuts for the
Copyright Office.

While the Library of Congress is slated for smaller cuts, the budget
reductions could have a negative impact on the Library's operations.
The Senate is working on a Legislative Branch Appropriations bill that
would freeze funding for the Government Printing Office and the Library
at approximately current levels.  Now is the time to contact members of
Congress on this issue.

2. President Signs Historic Preservation Act Reauthorization
On May 26 President Clinton signed H.R. 834, legislation that extends
the reauthorization of the Historic Preservation Fund and Advisory
Council on Historic Preservation through FY-2005.  The Historic
Preservation Fund is the mechanism used by the Federal government to
channel grant money to the states and certified local governments  for a
wide variety of historic preservation related activities.  The Advisory
Council, in cooperation with other federal and non-federal entities,
provides leadership in the preservation of the nation's historic and
prehistoric resources.  The legislation also clarifies that the National
Trust for Historic Preservation may receive grants from the Department
of the Interior "consistent with the purposes of its charter and this
Act."

3.  Defense Authorization Act Proposes New Limits on FOIA
The Senate Defense Authorization Act for FY-2001, S. 2549, contains
several provisions affecting current Freedom of Information law and
policy. Of primary concern is an exemption from the Freedom of
Information Act for operational files of the Defense Intelligence
Agency.  As currently worded, Section 1045 of S. 2549 would create a new
exemption for "operational files" of the Defense Intelligence Agency.
While the CIA has enjoyed a comparable exemption since 1984, the CIA had
never released operational files, thus the FOIA exemption had little
effect.  In contrast, according to the staff at the National Security
Archive, a non-profit research facility in Washington, the Defense
Intelligence Agency has been more forthcoming in releasing  "operational
files."  For example, they noted that the release of "operational
files"  on Guatemala have proven indispensable to the work of the
Guatemalan Human Rights Commission and the new exemption could prevent
any such releases in the future.

Another provision in the Senate bill seeks to create a new expansive
FOIA exemption for unclassified information provided by a foreign
government.  The Section 1044 exemption, requested by the Pentagon,
could exclude from public access a wide range of valuable information.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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