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NCC WASHINGTON UPDATE, Vol. 7, #10, March 9, 2001



NCC WASHINGTON UPDATE, Vol. 7, #10, March 9, 2001
by Bruce Craig <rbcraig3@juno.com> of the National Coordinating Committee
for the Promotion of History
*****************

1.   House Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Cold War Theme Study/Ronald Reagan
Commemorative Sites
2    Legislation Introduced: Steel Industry NHP; National Coast Guard
Museum; Abel and Mary Nicholson House NHS
3.   Education Bill Passes Senate Committee
4.   NEH Grants Announced
5.   News Bits and Bytes: FRUS Soviet Union Release; Clinton Papers Release

1.   HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE HOLDS HEARING ON COLD WAR THEME STUDY/RONALD REAGAN
COMMEMORATIVE SITES
The House Resources Committee, Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation,
and Public Lands held its first hearing of the 107th Congress on March 8,
2001.  Several bills were considered: H.R. 107, a bill introduced by the new
Subcommittee Chair, Representative Joel Hefley, directing the Secretary of
the Interior to conduct a National Landmark theme study on Cold War sites;
H.R. 400, legislation introduced by the Speaker of the House, J. Dennis
Hastert, to establish the Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home in Dixon, Illinois, as
a National Historic Site; and H.R. 452, legislation introduced by Resource
Committee Chair, Jim Hansen (R-UT) to erect a memorial on the Mall to former
President Ronald Reagan.

Richard Ring, Associate Director, Park Operations and Education for the
National Park Service (NPS), made his subcommittee debut testifying on
behalf of the Administration. On H. R 107, the NPS recommended the Committee
"defer action...until we are able to begin making progress on the
President's Initiative to eliminate the NPS deferred maintenance backlog."
On H. R 400, Ring stated that the Department of the Interior appreciated the
goals of the legislation, but wanted to see the bill amended "to authorize a
study of the site" to first determine whether it meets the various tests of
national significance, suitability, and feasibility for national park
designation. The central question the NPS wants to examine  is whether the
site is the best place to recognize the historical significance of President
Reagan. On H.R. 452, the NPS opposed placement of the proposed Reagan
memorial on the Mall (the testimony cited several reasons - most
importantly, the Administration wanted to adhere to guidelines established
by the Commemorative Works Act - legislation signed by President Reagan
himself that sets a 25-year time limit after a person's death before
considering placement of a memorial on the Mall).

Witnesses speaking on the Reagan memorial legislation included Ms. Carolyn
Brody, a member of the Washington D.C. Commission on Fine Arts who opposed
the memorial's placement on the Mall, and Mr. Grover Norquist, Chairman of
the Ronald Reagan Legacy Foundation, who spoke in favor of the legislation
as crafted. Mr. Norm Wymbs, Chairman of the Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home
Foundation, eloquently addressed issues relating to the Reagan boyhood site.
Mr. Jimmy Dishner, a Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Air Force, addressed
the Committee in support of the Cold War theme study, as did Mr. Francis
Gary Powers Jr., Founder of the Cold War Museum in Fairfax, Virginia and
Bruce Craig of the NCC, who made a number of suggestions to strengthen the
legislation. Testimony and other related materials regarding this hearing is
expected to be posted on the Subcommittee home page in the near future: tap
into: http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/parks/index.htm

2.   LEGISLATION INTRODUCED: STEEL INDUSTRY NHP; NATIONAL COAST GUARD
MUSEUM; ABEL AND MARY NICHOLSON HOUSE NHS
Steel Industry NHP:
Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) has introduced companion legislation (S. 391)
to Representative Michael F. Doyle's (D-PA) legislation (H.R. 635)
introduced last month (see NCC WASHINGTON UPDATE, Vol. 6 #9, February 28,
2001) to establish the Steel Industry National Historical Park in the
boroughs of Munhall, Swissvale, and Rankin, Pennsylvania.  Among the sites
included are the United States Steel Homestead Works, the Carrie Furnace
complex, and the Hot Metal Bridge.

According to the Senator's statement issued when he introduced the
legislation, "The importance of steel to the industrial development of the
United States cannot be understated. A national park devoted to the history
of the steel industry will afford all Americans the opportunity to celebrate
this rich heritage, which is symbolic of the work ethic endemic to this
great nation."

If established, the park unit would commemorate a wide range of
accomplishments and topics ranging from industrial process advancements to
labor-management relations.  The proposed unit includes the site of the
Battle of Homestead, waged in 1892 between steelworkers and Pinkerton
guards.  The battle was an important event in labor history in relation to
the evolution of the workers rights movement.

Coast Guard Museum:
Representative Rob Simmons (R-CT ) introduced the "National Coast Guard
Museum Act of 2001" (H.R. 850) designed to commemorate 210 years of national
maritime and military history of the Coast Guard and its predecessor
services and agencies.  The bill authorizes not more than $10 million in
non-federal funds and $10 million in federal funds for the project.  The
exact location of the new museum is not specified but it will be placed on
federal lands administered by the Coast guard.

Abel and Mary Nicholson House NHS:
Representative Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ) and Senator Robert Torricelli (D-NJ)
introduced legislation (H.R. 793 and S. 419) that seeks to authorize a study
of the Abel and Mary Nicholson House (designated a National Historic
Landmark in June, 2000) for its national significance, suitability, and
feasibility as a unit of the National Park System. The proposed National
Historic Site is said to possess a high degree of architectural integrity
and is noted for its associations with the earliest Quaker settlement in
North America.

3.  EDUCATION BILL PASSES SENATE COMMITTEE
Republicans and Democrats in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and
Pensions Committee have agreed on a $27 billion education package that
includes most of President Bush's proposals for education reform.  The
measure passed 20-0. The President hopes to hold schools accountable for
results, wants to have statewide testing, and seeks to promote a reading
literacy program.  In order to avoid a partisan fight in committee, Chairman
James Jeffords (R-VT) and ranking minority member Edward Kennedy (D-MA)
agreed to leave out of the bill the President's controversial voucher plan.
Vouchers are expected to be a major issue when the bill hits the Senate
floor in the near future.

As currently drafted, the Committee mark does not include a specific earmark
for history education. Senator Byrd's office, however, informs the NCC that
the Senator is considering a floor amendment when the legislation is debated
in the Senate. Byrd is probably not the only Democrat who will advance
amendments - according to Democratic aides, it is expected that Democrats
will insist on more education money across the board as their price for
backing the Bush plan.

4.  NEH GRANTS ANNOUNCED
The National Endowment for the Humanities announces the competition for
Fellowships for 2002-2003. These Fellowships provide opportunities for
individuals to pursue advanced research in the humanities. Applicants may be
faculty or staff members of colleges or universities or of primary or
secondary schools. Scholars and writers working independently, in
institutions such as museums, libraries, and historical associations, or in
institutions with no connection to the humanities, also are eligible to
apply. The application deadline is May 1, 2001.

NEH Fellowships support a variety of activities. Projects may contribute to
scholarly knowledge, to the advancement of teaching, or to the general
public's understanding of the humanities. Award recipients might eventually
produce scholarly articles, a book-length treatment of a broad topic, an
archaeological site report, a translation, an edition, a database, or some
other scholarly tool. Further information is available in the printed
guidelines on the Endowment's web site:
http://www.neh.gov/grants/onebook/fellowships.html.

5.  NEWS BITS AND BYTES:
Item #1- FRUS SOVIET UNION RELEASE:  The Department of State History Office
has released Foreign Relations, 1964-1968, Volume XIV, Soviet Union.  The
volume provides a documentary record of United States bilateral relations
with the Soviet Union during the Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson.  The
Johnson Administration policy toward the Soviet Union, began with modest
expectations and was buoyed with occasional high points, but ultimately
failed to achieve much progress, mostly because of Vietnam and the Soviets'
conclusion that detente with the West during the war would seriously weaken
its position in the Communist bloc. This volume complements extensive
coverage of Soviet-related issues in other Foreign Relations volumes on the
Johnson Administration.  The Office of the Historian has prepared a summary
of the volume. For further information, contact David S. Patterson, General
Editor of the Foreign Relations series at (202) 663-1127; fax: (202)
663-1289; e-mail:  <history@state.gov>.  Copies of volume XIV can be
purchased from the Government Printing Office (http://bookstore.gpo.gov/;
reference GPO Stock Number 044-000-02451-8 or ISBN 0-16-050594-1).

Item #2 - CLINTON PAPERS RELEASE: The National Archives and Records
Administration has released the first of two volumes of the "Public Papers
of President William J. Clinton, 1999." The 1,160 page hardcover volume
covers January 1-June 30, 1999 and contains the text of speeches, news
conferences, messages, and communications to Congress. The volume is
available for $71 (Stock No. 069-000-00130-1) from the Superintendent of
Documents, Government Printing Office.  To order call the GPO Order desk at
(202) 512-1800.

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