[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

(FWD) NCC Washington Update, Vol 6, #28, August 16, 2000



NCC WASHINGTON UPDATE, Vol 6, #28, August 16, 2000
by Bruce Craig <rbcraig3@juno.com> of  the National Coordinating
Committee for the Promotion of History

1.   Note to Readers
2.   Congressional Recess Appropriations Update
3.   Pending Legislation of Interest:
4.   News Bits and Bytes: Teacherweb Internet site; National Register
Program Internships

1.  NOTE TO READERS
There will be no NCC WASHINGTON UPDATE next week.  The editor will be on
his annual brief vacation to East Point, Prince Edward Island, Canada,
from August 16 - 25 where he expects of catch some sun and devour
lobsters. Expect the next UPDATE to show up on your computer during the
week of August 28.

2.  CONGRESSIONAL RECESS APPROPRIATIONS UPDATE
Congress left town in late July for its summer recess without moving
nearly the number of appropriations bills they had hoped.  The House of
Representatives managed to pass all its appropriations bills except the
one that funds the District of Columbia, but, the Senate still has five
bills to pass.  Thus far, only two of thirteen bills have reached
President Clinton's desk and been enacted into law - the Military
Construction bill and the Defense bill. Because Congress hopes to
adjourn on October 6, September is likely to be a frenzied month of
negotiations on the remaining FY 2001 spending bills; there are also
decisions on the expenditure of a sizable surplus that also will need to
be addressed by Congress. Once the members return in early September,
Capitol Hill insiders expect the remaining weeks of this congressional
session to be especially contentious since both major political parties
will be vying for control of the White House and both houses of
Congress. Stay tuned!

3.  PENDING LEGISLATION OF INTEREST
The NCC attempts to track legislation of interest to historians,
archivists, and the related professional disciplines. In addition to
monitoring a half dozen appropriations bills, there are dozens of bills
that we watch that are introduced each Congress that in some way or
another may impact our community. While we try to monitor and keep you
updated on the most important of them, the following bills may be of
interest to readers with various special interests. If additional
information is desired, don't hesitate to drop the editor a line at
<rbcraig3@juno.com>.

NATIONAL RECORDING PRESERVATION ACT:  The National Recording
Preservation Act of 2000 (H.R. 4846) - introduced on July 13, 2000 by
Representative William M. Thomas (R-CA), the Chairman of the House
Administration Committee - passed the House on July 25 and was referred
to the Senate.  The legislation has been placed on the legislative
calendar for action once that body reconvenes in early September.

The legislation has several major provisions: It directs the Librarian
of Congress to establish the National Recording Registry for the purpose
of maintaining and preserving sound recordings that are "culturally,
historically, or aesthetically significant"; it also establishes a
National Sound Recording Preservation Program within the Library of
Congress and creates a National Recording Preservation Board - an
appointed body charged to review and recommend the nominations for the
National Recording Registry.  Finally, the bill authorizes the
establishment of a National Recording Preservation Foundation - a
federally chartered, nonprofit-charitable corporation that would raise
funds for preservation and public access to the nation's sound recording
heritage. The bill is supported by the National Academy of Recording
Arts and Sciences and other recording industry organizations and by the
Library of Congress.  Provided this bill does not get lost in the last
minute legislative shuffle, House supporters hope to see the legislation
pass the Senate through a suspension of the rules.

ROSIE THE RIVETER: Senate and House versions of legislation that
establishes the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National
Historical Park (H.R. 4063 and S. 2294) in Richmond, California, have
been quietly making their way through the respective legislative bodies
over the last few months.  The House passed its version of the
legislation introduced by Representative George Miller (D-CA) on July 11
and the Senate Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic Preservation,
and Recreation recently held a hearing on Senator Dianne Feinstein's
version of the legislation.

The new historical park seeks to preserve sites, structures, and areas
located in the vicinity of Richmond, California, that are associated
with the industrial, governmental, and citizen efforts that led to
victory in World War II.  According to the NPS testimony, Richmond is an
ideal spot for the park as it "has a critical mass of intact historical
structures ....and its home front experience is nationally recognized
and is well-documented."

As presently crafted, the National Park Service would administer the
site; the Service would own lands in fee and less-than fee simple
(including leaseholds).  The NPS would also be able to accept donations
of certain lands and structures but it would administer much of the site
through cooperative agreement with other entities.  The NPS is charged
to operate an education center for the purpose of educating the American
public on the significance of the site and on the broader story of the
WW II home front.  The legislation recognizes that survivors who worked
on the home front are in their seventies and eighties and hence an oral
history program is authorized: Section 5 of the legislation authorizes
"such funds as may be necessary to conduct oral histories" and to carry
out other provisions of the act. The major difference between the House
passed and Senate measure relates to the matching requirements: S. 2294
requires a 50% match while H.R. 4063 requires a 100% non-federal match.
Differences between the two bills are expected to be resolved resulting
in the creation of a new historical park by the end of this
congressional session.

SAND CREEK: After many months of discussion and meetings with Native
American groups and other interested parties, Senator Ben Nighthorse
Campbell (R-CO) has introduced into the Senate legislation authorizing
the establishment of the Sand Creek Massacre Historic Site in Colorado
(S. 2950). The legislation was introduced on July 27 and was referred to
the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

The site is designed to recognize and memorialize "the hallowed ground
on which hundreds of peaceful Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians were
massacred by members of the Colorado militia" in 1868. As introduced,
the legislation authorizes the National Park Service to enter into
agreement with willing sellers in an effort to secure lands within a
12,470 acre boundary. The legislation recognizes that without
condemnation authority acquisition of land could take years but several
willing sellers who own property within the core of the site's proposed
legislative boundary have offered to sell in recent months. Due to the
controversial nature of this legislation (and since it has not had a
hearing in the Senate or House) final action on the bill will probably
wait until the next Congress.

4.   NEWS BITS AND BYTES:
Item #1: With the new semester on the horizon, teachers may want to take
a look at <www.teacherweb.com>. This easy to use and access site enables
teachers to set up free websites that can be used to keep students up to
date on assignments, to post news and to announce class cancellations,
to give e-mail addresses, and it can link students to sites that are
relevant to classroom discussions. If your students are connected to the
web (and many are) this is a site worth checking out.

Item #2: Program administrators of the National Park Service's National
Register of Historic Places have a number of intern positions available.
Selected students could work with staff in preparing lesson plans for
the Teaching with Historic Places program, assist in establishing
protocols for archival treatment, assist in the production of an
interactive travel program, and/or assist in the production of various
publications including National Register technical bulletins. For more
information, contact Carol D. Shull at (202) 343-9504.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
NCC invites you to redistribute the NCC Washington Updates.  A complete
backfile of these reports is maintained by H-Net at
<http://www.h-net.msu.edu/~ncc>   To subscribe to the "NCC Washington
Update," send an e-mail message to listserv@h-net.msu.edu according to
the following model: SUBSCRIBE H-NCC firstname lastname, institution.

A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to listserv@listserv.muohio.edu
      In body of message:  SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
                    *or*:  UNSUB ARCHIVES
To post a message, send e-mail to archives@listserv.muohio.edu

Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html

Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>