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(FWD) NCC WASHINGTON UPDATE, Vol. 8, #9, March 8, 2002



> NCC WASHINGTON UPDATE, Vol. 8, #9, March 8, 2002
> by Bruce Craig <rbcraig@nccph.org>
> National Coordinating Committee for the Promotion of History (NCCPH)
> *****************
>
> 1.  Appropriation Hearings Begin -- IMLS and National Endowments
> 2.  Mark-up of Museum and Library Services Act of 2002
> 3.  Science Commission Report Update -- No Surprise, Smithsonian Ailing
> 4.  Meeting Report: State Department's Advisory Committee on Historical
> Diplomatic Documentation
> 5.  News Bits and Bytes: NCC Events at OAH Meeting; New NCCPH Institutional
> Supporter;  FirstGov Website
> 6.  Articles of Interest: "Bush Brother Pushes Education on Sales Campaign
> Trail (New York Times)
>
> 1.  APPROPRIATION HEARINGS BEGIN -- IMLS AND NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE
> HUMANITIES/ARTS
> 'Tis the season for appropriation hearings! On Thursday, February 28, 2002,
> the House Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations
> Subcommittee held a hearing on the FY 2003 appropriation for the Institute
> for Museum and Library Services (IMLS).  On March 6, the House
> Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies conducted a
> similar hearing on the funding level for the National Endowment for the
> Humanities (NEH) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
>
> IMLS HEARING:  Dr. Robert Martin, Director of the IMLS, testified on his
> agency's FY 2003 budget request.  Martin lauded the increased funding
> request of  $181,720,000 for library programs and $29,022,000 for museums;
> he highlighted the $10 million initiative announced by the President's
> wife, Laura Bush, to stimulate and support education for new librarians
> (several recent studies had indicated that there will soon be a large drop
> in practicing  librarians because of retirement).
>
> Martin also said the IMLS was refocusing its operational support for
> museums. He said 85 percent of museums are meeting standards, but IMLS can
> only fund 19 percent of applications for grants.  In answer to questions
> from Rep. Ralph Regula (R-OH) about the impact of technology on the museum
> and library professions, Martin answered that technology dramatically
> enhances the reach of museums and libraries, and that technology had not
> replaced the traditional services but instead complements them.
>
> Next to testify on the FY 2003 budget were representatives of the National
> Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS). In the Bush
> Administration budget proposal, the President seeks to terminate the
> Commission.  NCLIS Chairperson, Martha Gould claimed that the stated
> rationale for zeroing out the NCLIS account was totally
> unsubstantiated.  She thanked Chairman Regula for funding the "Literacy
> Through School Libraries" program and cited the NCLIS  hearing on school
> libraries held in Cincinnati, Ohio last spring as rationale for supporting
> the legislation.  Commissioner Jack Hightower testified that the libraries
> role is very important as disseminators of information in a time of crisis.
>
> NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES/ARTS HEARING:  On March 6, 2002,
> Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Joe
> Skeen (R-NM) welcomed Bruce Cole the new head of the NEH.  After opening
> comments by other members of the subcommittee, Cole explained the
> Administration's $126.893 million budget request and outlined his vision
> for the Endowment.
>
> Cole talked about the crucial role that the NEH plays in the life of the
> nation and the importance of an "informed citizenry." The hearing also gave
> Cole an opportunity to discuss his "We the People" initiative, which is
> designed to encourage scholars to propose programs that advance knowledge
> of the events, ideas, and principles that define the American
> nation.  Several Democratic members, especially Rep. Norm Dicks (D-WA) and
> Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) however, were more interested in the Bush
> Administration's proposal to delete all funding for regional humanities
> centers -- a special initiative advanced by former NEH head, William R.
> Ferris Jr.
>
> During his watch as Chairman of the NEH, Ferris devoted considerable energy
> and agency resources to his proposal to create as many as ten regional
> facilities to study humanities.  It was a concept similar in nature to the
> Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi
> where Ferris served prior to his appointment to the NEH.  To date, eight of
> the ten proposed centers received implementation grants of nearly $400,000
> (a grant for the ninth center is on hold), with the goal being that as much
> as $20 million would be made available through federal appropriations and
> private donations to establish operating endowments. Ferris envisioned that
> every federal dollar would have been matched by three private dollars.
>
> In an apparent reference to the regional centers, Cole testified that the
> agency would no longer create "costly special initiatives that function
> outside the agency's normal grant making process"  but rather would focus
> on "core" NEH programs.  Cole did not, however, unilaterally announce the
> death of the Clinton Administration proposal -- instead he stated that the
> earlier NEH grants "will enable these institutions to move forward with
> their plans" and, in addition, regional centers will be permitted to
> compete for other NEH grants including challenge grants.  For all intents
> and purposes however, most NEH insiders as well as several members of the
> Committee frankly "don't see it happening at all" and foresee the eventual
> death of the regional center initiative.
>
> Cole set forth his priorities in the coming years including the "We the
> People" initiative; advancing scholarship and research in the humanities;
> strengthening teaching and learning at all levels of the nation's education
> system; encouraging the support of the state humanities councils;
> preserving and increasing accessibility of important cultural and
> intellectual resources; supporting quality interpretive programs and
> projects and encouraging the leveraging of private support in the
> humanities.  Cole envisioned that of the $126.893 proposal, some $89.932
> million in program funds would go "to the support of high quality
> education, scholarship, preservation and public programs in the humanities
> and $16.122 million in matching funds to help the NEH stimulate private
> giving to humanities projects and institutions." Cole gave special emphasis
> to his strong support for the state councils and the need for the NEH to
> play an "active role" in harnessing digital technologies in the service of
> the humanities.
>
> During questioning, Rep. Dicks inquired about the "We the People"
> initiative and asked what the Subcommittee should consider as necessary to
> fund the initiative.  Cole responded that the initiative was "thematic"
> with no special earmarked funds or assigned program staff.
>
> The hearing also focused on the proposed funding levels for the National
> Endowment for the Arts.  Eileen Mason, Acting Chair and Senior Deputy
> Chair, presented the agency's testimony.  Mason regretted that Michael
> Hammond, who had been on the job as NEA chair for just a little over a week
> before he died on January 29, 2002, was unable to shape the agency's
> agenda.  Programs proposed totaled $117 million and are similar if not
> identical to the expenditure structure developed under former NEA Chair,
> Bill Ivey.
>
> 2.  MARK UP OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES ACT OF 2002
> On March 6, 2002, the Select Education Subcommittee conducted a markup
> session of legislation (H.R. 3784) designed to reauthorize both the museum
> and library programs administered by the Institute of Museum and Library
> Services.  The legislation was introduced February 27 by  Representative
> Pete Hoekstra, (R-MI), Chairman of the House Select Education Subcommittee
> and Representative Tim Roemer, (D-IN), Ranking Minority Member of the
> Subcommittee.  The bill is considered "non-controversial" and has the
> support of many other members of the Subcommittee.
>
> On February 14, the House subcommittee held a hearing on the potential
> reauthorization (see "House Holds Reauthorization Hearing on Museum and
> Library Services Act" in NCC WASHINGTON UPDATE, Vol. 8, #7, February 19,
> 2002) .  During the hearing the new director of the IMLS, Dr. Robert
> Martin, pointed out that federal dollars serve a critical role in enhancing
> services at the local level and detailed some digital technology projects
> that could not have been accomplished without the impetus of federal funds.
> His views were supported by a panel of friendly witnesses.
>
> The marked-up bill passed the subcommittee without comment. Prior to
> passage, Chairman Hoekstra, and Representatives Major Owens (D-NY), Tim
> Roemer (D-IN), and Rush Holt (D-NJ) and others spoke in support of the
> reauthorization. The members pointed out the importance of museums and
> libraries -- institutions that the public looks to for culture and
> sustenance in times of crisis -- and the need for strong federal support
> when state funds are in such short supply.
>
> One issue remains. Supporters of the reauthorization are seeking a higher
> base funding authorization. From 1970 to the present, the funding
> authorization has been $340 million; supporters were initially seeking a
> $600 million authorization. In its mark-up, the committee opted for a $500
> million figure. The full House Education and the Workforce Committee is
> expected to take up the reauthorization the week of March 18.
>
> NCC ACTION ITEM: At present H.R. 3784 has fifty-one
> cosponsors.  Historians, museum professionals, and librarians who live in
> the districts represented by the following members of Congress who sit on
> the full committee are urged to call (the Capitol switchboard is (202)
> 224-3121)), e-mail, or write their Congressman NO LATER THAN MARCH 15
> urging their support for the Museum and Library Services Act (H.R. 3784)
> reauthorization and that the Member support a $500 million authorization.
>
> The Republican members of the Committee are: John Boehner (R-OH); Thomas
> Petri (R-WI); Marge Roukema (R-NJ); Cass Ballenger (R-NC); Peter Hoekstra
> (R-MI); Howard McKeon (R-CA); Michael Castle (R-DE); Sam Johnson (R-TX);
> Jim Greenwood (R-PA); Linsey Graham (R-SC); Mark Souder (R-IN); Charles
> Norwood (R-GA); Bob Schaffer (R-CO); Fred Upton (R-MI); Van Hilleary
> (R-TN); Vernon Ehlers (R-MI); Thomas Tancredo (R-CO); Ernest Lee Fletcher
> (R-KY); Jim DeMint (R-SC); Johnny Isakson (R-GA); Bob Goodlatte (R-VA);
> Judy Biggert (R-IL); Todd Platts (R-PA); Patrick Tiberi (R-OH); Ric Keller
> (R-FL); Tom Osborne (R-NE); John Culberson (R-TX).  The Democrats serving
> on the Committee are: George Miller (D-CA); Dale Kildee (D-MI); Major Owens
> (D-NY); Donald Payne (D-NJ); Patsy Mink (D-HI); Robert Andrews (D-NJ); Tim
> Roemer (D-IN); Bobby Scott (D-VA); Lynn Woolsey (D-CA); Lynn Rivers (D-MI);
> Ruden Hinojosa (D-TX); Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY); John Tierney (D-MA); Ron
> Kind (D-WI); Loretta Sanchez (D-CA); Harold Ford (D-TN); Dennis Kucinich
> (D-OH); David Wu (D-OR); Rush Holt (D-NJ); Hilda Solis (D-CA); Susan Davis
> (D-CA); Betty McCollum (D-MN).
>
>
> 3.  SCIENCE COMMISSION REPORT UPDATE -- NO SURPRISE: SMITHSONIAN AILING
> According to Jeremy Sabloff, Director of the University of Pennsylvania
> Museum of Archeology and Anthropology and head of a 19-member independent
> science commission charged by Congress last year to assess the Smithsonian
> Institution's (SI) research program, the science programs at the
> Smithsonian have deteriorated over the years and are in great need of
> strengthening. Sabloff announced that his panel has closed the
> "fact-finding" phase of its investigation.  The commission has concluded
> its site visits and over the next few weeks and months will analyze the
> information it has gathered and then will submit recommendations in a final
> report scheduled for release this September.
>
> The commission, which was established last year after widespread criticism
> of changes in the Smithsonian science programs proposed by the
> Institution's current Secretary, Lawrence Small, has found that the science
> programs at the Smithsonian have lost 25 to 30 percent of its curatorial,
> research, and technical staff over the past 12 years and that the
> Institution's collections are suffering as a consequence,
>
> Earlier in the year, just prior to the official submission of its proposed
> budget for the SI, the White House planned a dramatic cutback and a
> comprehensive overhaul of the SI's research program. The plan was withdrawn
> after an outcry from members of Congress and the public.  Since then, the
> Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has formed its own panel of experts
> to study the Smithsonian. Sabloff's panel plans to assess the results of
> the two anticipated OMB sponsored studies (their work is scheduled to be
> completed in August) before releasing its own report later in the fall. The
> goal of the Congressionally-sanctioned commission that Sabloff heads is to
> use all the available data to produce a report that will show how to
> improve science at the SI, recruit top researchers, and set realistic
> benchmarks for measuring progress.  "We don't want the report to just
> another entry in the circular file," stated Sabloff.
>
> 4.  MEETING REPORT: STATE DEPARTMENT'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON HISTORICAL
> DIPLOMATIC DOCUMENTATION
> On March 4, 2002, the open session meeting of the Advisory Committee on
> Historical Diplomatic Documentation convened at the Department of State,
> Washington D.C.  Robert Schulzinger chaired the meeting.  The Committee
> approved of the minutes of the December 17-18, 2001, which described action
> during the closed sessions of the Committee.  As usual, the minutes
> (especially the sections describing closed session meetings) provided some
> useful news and gossip concerning current classification and
> declassification issues.
>
> The minutes reflect the following: The Bush Administration's pending
> revisions to classification policy will not include new restrictions on
> automatic declassification, as some openness advocates had
> feared.  According to Steven Garfinkle, recently retired Information
> Security Oversight Office director, the Bush NSC Policy Coordinating
> Committee on Records Access, which is charged to consider revisions to the
> Clinton executive order on national security classification (E.O. 12958),
> "unanimously rejected a provision to curtail automatic declassification
> review." The minutes also provided an update on the implementation of the
> Kyl/Lott re-review program at State.  Reviewers are finding about one out
> of every 10,000 pages reviewed that may have resulted in inadvertent
> disclosure of nuclear weapon data; some but not all of these "disclosures"
> are purely of historical interest concerning weapon deployments at storage
> sites abroad several decades ago and have no proliferation sensitivity
> today. With regard to the 1953 CIA covert action in Iran, "the CIA noted
> that, despite reports to the contrary, not all records had been destroyed,
> and what is available in the CIA's files is significant." Most remarkably,
> the minutes indicate that the "CIA History Staff has been asked to place an
> historian with one of the CIA's components to watch the war on terrorism as
> it evolves."   A special thanks to the Federation of American Scientists,
> Project on Government Secrecy for posting the minutes at:
> <http://www.fas.org/sgp/advisory/state/hac1201.html>.
>
> After approving the minutes, State Department Chief Historian and Committee
> Executive Secretary Marc Susser made his report.  Susser stated that during
> the last fiscal year six new historians were hired by the department's
> history office and that three more staff positions were expected to be
> filled later this year. Susser reported that the "Interim Memorandum of
> Understanding" (MOU) between State and the CIA was working "satisfactorily"
> and that negotiations on the permanent MOU were proceeding.  He stated that
> several new Advisory Committee members were in the security clearance
> process and that he expected the full compliment of nine members for the
> Advisory Committee soon.  Susser reported that two FRUS volumes were
> scheduled for release this week and that printing contracts were issued for
> three additional volumes.  Finally, he announced that work at the Ford
> Library continues and that the Nazi War Crimes project should be finished
> by March 22.
>
> Various State Department and National Archives and Records Administration
> professional staff addressed the Advisory Committee and discussed public
> access to historical electronic records.  Brian Dowling of the Office of
> IRM Programs and Services reported that in FY 2001, some 11 million pages
> were processed by his office as well as some 15 boxes of agency referrals
> and that 2,400 square feet of USIA records were acquired.  There are some
> 78 million records left to review.
>
> Discussion by the committee focused on the State Department records related
> to the Carter presidency. The State Department component of the Carter
> presidential collection poses unique challenges for archivists. First is
> the shear volume of the collection: There are some 1.4 - 1.7 million
> classified State Department records to review, and second, with the
> exception of the standard "mandatory review" guidelines, no specific
> systematic review guidelines have been developed.  Third, the collection is
> exceptionally rich in foreign policy materials.  When these are combined
> with other inherent complexities and challenges posed by the collection, it
> is entirely within the realm of possibility that State Department records
> associated with the Carter presidency will not be released in a timely
> manner as provided by law.
>
> Finally, an unofficial update on the State Department's long-delayed
> Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS) volume on U.S. policy toward
> Greece, Cyprus and Turkey during the 1960s -- insiders report a possible
> mid-August release date. Keep those fingers crossed.
>
> 5.  NEWS BITS AND BYTES:
> Item #1 - NCC Events at OAH Meeting: During the upcoming meeting of the
> Organization of American Historians (April 11- 14, 2002) in Washington,
> D.C., the NCC Policy Board will meet on Friday, April 12, from 9-11 am in
> the Executive Director's "Presidential Suite" at the Renaissance Washington
> (999 9th Street N.W., Washington, D.C. (202) 898-9000).  Board materials
> will be mailed out from the NCC Washington offices probably next week to
> all members of the Policy Board.
>
> The "Hill Rat Open Forum" is a session designed to engage NCC institutional
> supporters and other interested parties in a lively discussion of current
> Congressional initiatives of interest to the historical community.  The
> session takes place Saturday, April 13, from 1:15-2:15 pm in Room 18 of the
> Renaissance Hotel.  The session includes updates on the court challenge to
> the Presidential Records Act Executive Order 13233, the Eldred Case,
> various FOIA  issues and other issues of importance to the profession.
>
>   The "CRM Roundtable" -- is once again scheduled to provide an informal
> session for cultural resource practitioners from the governmental and the
> private sectors to meet and exchange ideas and issues of concern. The
> Roundtable will be held Saturday April 13, from 2:30-3:30 pm in Room 18 of
> the Renaissance Hotel.
>
> Finally, the NCC is pleased to be participating in the OAH Workshop,
> "Congressional Connection: Making Historians' Voices Heard on Capitol Hill"
> scheduled for Thursday, April 11, from 9-1 pm.  This workshop is designed
> to teach participants how to be effective history advocates and how to
> affect the outcome of  legislation of importance to the profession on
> Capitol Hill. For additional information about this workshop please consult
> page 19 of the OAH annual meeting program.
>
> Item #2 -- New NCCPH Institutional Supporter:  The NCCPH is pleased to
> welcome the Association of American University Presses (AAUP) located in
> New York City as the NCCPH's latest institutional supporter. The AAUP  is
> an organization of non-profit scholarly publishers dedicated to the support
> of creative and effective scholarly communications. Through cooperative
> programs, information resources, and professional development
> opportunities, the AAUP helps its members fulfill their common commitments
> to scholarship, the academy and society.
>
> Please note -- the NCC welcomes communications from representatives of
> potential institutional supporters of the NCC; for full details, contact
> the editor at: rbcraig@nccph.org.
>
> Item #3 -- Meeting of "Teaching American History" Grantees: The Department
> of Education will convene the first meeting of some 60 project directors
> and other interested parties involved in the "Teaching American History"
> grant program on Friday, April 12, 2002, in Washington D.C.  Each of the 60
> project directors have been requested to bring at least one other person
> active in the grant.  In most cases both school districts and partners will
> be represented.  The agenda items will include grants management, content,
> pedagogy, recruitment, and other professional development issues.  A
> representative of the NCC will be attending.
>
> Item #4 -- FirstGov Website: Vice-President Dick Cheney recently unveiled a
> redesigned FirstGov website -- a new version of the federal government's
> online public point of entry for information and services. The original
> FirstGov site was launched during the Clinton Administration.  The new site
> is an attempt to remedy the slowness and inefficiency of many government
> services, which Cheney characterized as "one of government's oldest
> problems."  The redesign of the website provides a centralized place for
> citizens to obtain government information and services and costs some
> $350,000.  This word back from several users -- in spite of the redesign,
> the reality is that some commercial search engines (i.e. Google) still
> outperform FirstGov.
>
> 6.  ARTICLES OF INTEREST:  This week's pick article appeared in the New
> York Times but was not posted on the electronic version (hence no
> hyper-link). The article, "Bush Brother Pushes Education on Sales Campaign
> Trail" by Jacques Steinberg appeared in the March 7, 2002 issue (page A-16
> "National Report") and focuses on Neil Bush (the President's brother) and
> his quest to launch an online American history curriculum developed by an
> Internet company he founded in Austin, Texas. More than a decade after his
> role in a failed savings and loan enterprise put him in the public eye,
> Neil Bush now plays the role of "education entrepreneur."
> ***************************************************
> NCC invites you to redistribute the NCC Washington Updates.  A complete
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