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[NCCmailings] NCC WASHINGTON UPDATE, Vol. 8, #11, March 22, 2002



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From: rbcraig@nccph.org [mailto:rbcraig@nccph.org]
Sent: Friday, March 22, 2002 9:15 AM
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Subject: [NCCmailings] NCC WASHINGTON UPDATE, Vol. 8, #11, March 22,
2002


NCC WASHINGTON UPDATE, Vol. 8, #11, March 22, 2002
by Bruce Craig <rbcraig@nccph.org>
National Coordinating Committee for the Promotion of History (NCCPH)
*****************

1.  Appropriations Hearing: Library of Congress
2.  Small Defends Smithsonian Budget and Leadership Actions in
Appropriations Hearing
3.  Reagan Presidential Release: What's Being Held Back? Here's the List!
4.  State Department Releases Two FRUS Volumes
5.  News Bits and Bytes: NCC Welcomes New Policy Board Member; 1930 Census
Opening; FOIA Guide Available; NCC Events at OAH Meeting


1. APPROPRIATIONS HEARING: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
On March 13, 2002, Librarian of Congress James H. Billington and other
members of the Library of Congress's (LC) senior staff testified before the
Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Legislative Branch
Appropriations.  The Librarian requested a total budget of $572.7 million
($536.1 million in net appropriations and $36.6 million in authority to use
receipts) for FY 2003 - an increase of $56.3 million or 6.1 percent over
authorized FY 2002 levels. The proposed budget would support 4,358
full-time staff.

The Librarian's proposed budget is designed to support three continuing
priorities: service to Congress; acquisition, security, and preservation of
materials; and comprehensive access to collections. To this end, the
Librarian requested an increase of 169 new staff members "largely to
support the maintenance and security of the Library's artifactual
collections."  In addition, Billington sought increased funding for several
major initiatives: Digital Futures (increase of $16.5 million and 35
permanent positions); Collections Access, Preservation, and Security
(increase of $8.7 million and 118 positions); Infrastructure Support
(increases of $5.3 million); Copyright Office's Re-engineering (increases
of $1.4 million); and to increaseg the capacity of the Congressional
Research Service (increases of $1.4 million). For the National Digital
Library, Billington requested $12.936 million and 25 positions including
increase funding of $5.544 million and 8 positions to improve access
services on-site and for remote library users.

The Librarian also requested funding for several special initiatives
including: $789,000 for the Lewis and Clark exhibition; $895,000 for the
mass deacidification program; $476,000 to support the Veterans History
Project; $504,000 for educational outreach; and $308,000 for safety
services modernization and training.

The proposed budget for the Congressional Research Service (CRS) reflects a
slight increase in funding ($3.5 million) to build analytical capacity in
the areas of information and technology policy and to assist Congress in
issues related to terrorism and Homeland Security.  CRS also is seeking to
develop expertise on issues related to the aging U.S. population.

2.  SMALL DEFENDS SMITHSONIAN BUDGET AND LEADERSHIP ACTIONS IN
APPROPRIATIONS HEARING
In contrast to the near lovefest that greeted the Librarian of Congress
when he appeared before a congressional appropriations subcommittee, on
March 20, 2002, Smithsonian Secretary Lawrence Small endured many critical
comments from several members of Congress when he testified before a House
appropriations subcommittee panel to justify the Smithsonian's budget
request for FY 2003.  Small summarized aspects of the administration's
request for salaries and expenses of $528 million that represents a 1.8
percent (about $9 million) increase over the current year funding level of
$519 million. Then, lawmakers took Small to task.

Members questioned the proposed spending levels on research programs and
criticized the Secretary for his fundraising activities especially his
pursuit of corporate donors. "What we are experiencing," said
Representative Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), "is crass commercialism...I think it
is a bad thing - we are selling ourselves very, very cheaply. I would hope
you would do something to stop it." Small made no indication he would.  In
what was a rather testy hearing at times, Small defended his pursuit of
corporate sponsors and the placement of company logos on museum
exhibits.  He also stated that in the FY 2003 budget, the administration
would not seek increased spending on the Institution's research programs.

Several Republican members of the committee stated that they saw benefit
from corporate partnerships and showed even less concern about corporate
logos.  For example, Representative George R. Nethercutt (R-WA) commented,
"It's a matter of taste and how you handle it." Another member, Rep. Zach
Wamp (R-Tenn), added that he could easily imagine that Theodore Roosevelt
would probably have supported an ape exhibition sponsored by the Chiquita
Banana Company had such a thing been proposed years ago.

Small pointed out that fundraising was the way the Smithsonian had operated
from the beginning and critics should recognize the fundraising burdens
placed on Smithsonian staff. "The success of the Smithsonian over the past
156 years," Small said, "has been a result of funding from both public and
private sectors, from day one when the English scientist James Smithson
left his fortune to the United States, resulting in this institution which
he said had to be named after him." With all the money needed by the
Institution over the next decade, Small indicated that partnerships with
big donors might become even more critical.  For example, the National Zoo
was in need of a $180 million over the next five years. When questioned,
Small conceded that, largely due to the fallout from the 9/11 events,
contributions to the Smithsonian from individuals, foundations, and
corporations were down in the first quarter of FY 2002 in spite of
fundraising efforts.

But Rep. Hinchey did not accept all of Small's reasoning. Hinchey stated
that private funding makes up only 30% of the Smithsonian's budget compared
to 70% from the public sector. He also questioned the Smithsonian's
decision to name an IMAX movie theater at the National Air and Space Museum
which was formerly known as the Samuel P. Langley Theater (honoring the
aviation pioneer who also served as a Secretary of the Smithsonian) for
Lockheed Martin Corporation.

Lawmakers from both parties questioned Small about the Smithsonian's
proposed spending on research programs.  Funding would remain level at FY
2002 levels - $73-million for FY 2003 - if the administration's proposal is
accepted by Congress. Small said he would like to have directed more funds
to the research but other needs took priority, such as finishing work on
the National Museum of the American Indian and repairing some of the
"shabby" aging Smithsonian buildings.  Small stated that there were three
separate panels assessing the Institution's science programs and that their
reviews should be completed later in the year.

3.  REAGAN PRESIDENTIAL RELEASE: WHAT'S BEING HELD BACK? HERE'S THE LIST!
Last week, the Bush White House cleared for release some 59,850 pages of
Ronald Reagan's presidential records. On March 15, 2002, about a dozen
researchers showed up at the Reagan Library to begin the review of these
materials.  Still left sealed, however, are approximately150 pages that,
according to the White House, reflect "deliberations about potential
appointees to public office" (see "Reagan Presidential Materials Released,"
in NCC WASHINGTON UPDATE, Vol. 8, #10, March 15, 2002).

The NCC has secured an 11-page White House summary of documents that
technically are considered, "still under review." Virtually the entire
collection reflects "confidential advice" given to the former President by
his top advisors on a wide variety of political and judicial nominations
including several Supreme Court nominees.  Included among these are a
rather large assortment of memos and folders being held back that relate to
the nomination of Robert Bork.  It it is these records that will probably
be of greatest interest to scholars in the continuing pursuit to open all
of the Reagan era P-5 exemption ("confidential advise") records.

According to the White House memo, the materials not yet approved for
release include the following:
*Three memos in the Christopher C. Cox files relating to Cynthia Holcomb
Hall, a possible Supreme Court nominee;
*Two memos from the Michael K. Deaver files on the nomination of Theresa
Ellmore, a candidate for the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees and one memo
entitled "re: Gary Eyre;
*Nine memos from the Kenneth Duberstein files relating to various
candidates for the Supreme Court including Robert Bork, William Webster,
Howard Baker, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, as well as a memo to Ed Meese on
"potential sub-cabinet nominees;"
*Four memos regarding the Supreme Court from the "FG051 Supreme Court of
the U" collection;
*two memos from the "FG052 Court of Appeals, Unite" collection; a memo
regarding appointments to the Civil Rights Commission in the "Commission on
Civil Rights" collection;
*Six memos relating to the former President's Federal Judicial Selection
Committee and two memos on candidates for the U.S. Circuit Judge for the
Fifth District;
*Four memos relating to the possible appointment of Shirley Abbott as
Ambassador to Belize from the Diplomatic Affairs collection;
*Nine memos relating to vacant positions at the State Department, INS
Commissioner from the Francis Hodsoll collection;
*A profile of Supreme Court nominee Ralph K. Winter Jr. from the Peter
Keisler (Office of the Council) collection;
*One memo titled "re: The Borker" in the Jeffrey Lord collection;
*A judicial profile on James L. Buckley in the Dean C. McGrath collection;
*A memo entitled "Life After Bork" in the David McIntosh collection;
*Two memos on federal judicial selection from the Ed Meese collection;
*A memo "Ball to Regan re: Clarence Thomas" in collection "PROO7";
*Three memos in the "Presidential Teleph" collection of telephone
conversations that President Reagan had with Senator Jesse Helms regarding
the nomination of Winston Lord to be Ambassador to China as well as memos
on his conversations with Senator Alfonse D'Amato and Strom Thurmond;
*A memo on a scheduling request to the National Religious Broadcasters in
the "Motion Pictures - Films" collection;
*A memo regarding an Oval Office meeting with Senator Baker and Senator
James McClure in the"Public Relations: Public" collection;
*An entire folder entitled "Bork" from the Rebecca Range collection;
*Four memos on judicial and U.S. Marshall recommendations in the Alan
Charles Raul collection;
*Three memos on judicial replacements in the Larry Speaks collection;
*A memo on appointments to the National Economic Commission in the Beryl
Sprinkel collection;
*Nine memos on various judicial appointments in Pennsylvania in the Pamela
Turner collection.

There still is no word from the White House on when or even if these memos
will ever be released.

4. STATE DEPARTMENT RELEASES TWO FRUS VOLUMES
The Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State has released two new
volumes in the Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS) series.
Foreign Relations, 1961-1963, volume XXV, Organization of Foreign Policy;
Information Policy; United Nations; Scientific Matters (GPO S/N
044-000-02551-5; ISBN 0-16-050885-1; $64.00, $80.00 for foreign orders);
and  Foreign Relations, 1969-1976, volume III; Foreign Economic Policy:
International Monetary Policy, 1969-1972 (GPO S/N 044-000-02550-7; ISBN
0-16-050884-3; $54.00, $67.50 for foreign orders).

The first volume traces the challenges faced by the incoming Kennedy
administration in organizing and managing a complex foreign policy and
national security organization as well as its policies toward a number of
international and scientific issues. Following the 1960 election,
President-elect John F. Kennedy and his transition advisers focused on
various proposals for modifying and streamlining the foreign policy
structure. Efforts to reorganize the foreign policy establishment centered
on improving interdepartmental coordination between the State Department
and other executive branch agencies, enhancing the role of the ambassadors
and the Foreign Service, and responding more effectively to crisis
situations.

This volume also includes materials on the establishment of several new
foreign affairs departments and agencies, including the Peace Corps, the
Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and the Agency for International
Development. Documentation on the reorganization of the U.S. intelligence
community, especially the implementation of the recommendations of the
President's Board of Consultants on Foreign Intelligence Activities is
included.  There are materials on the effort to clarify the role of the
Director of Central Intelligence, and on the establishment of the National
Reconnaissance Program.  A collection of documents on the United Nations
describe U.S. policies toward the Chinese representation issue, the
election of U Thant as Secretary-General after the death of Dag
Hammarskjold, and the ongoing issue of financing the United Nations.  Other
topics include human rights and refugees, general international scientific
issues, outer space, communications satellites, Antarctica, and the Law of
the Sea.

The second volume traces the first Nixon administration's policies to
stabilize the U.S. economy and to reform the international monetary system.
This is the first volume published in the sub-series of the Foreign
Relations of the U.S. that will document the foreign policies of the
administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.  The first
compilation of documents deals primarily with U.S. balance-of-payments
policy and relations with the major industrial countries, particularly
France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the European Community as a whole, and
Japan. The second compilation of documents in this volume deals with the
composition of international reserve assets, changing exchange rates, and
proposals for international monetary reform.

The Office of the Historian has prepared summaries of both volumes. 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. The texts of the volumes, summaries, and press releases
will soon be available on the Office's Web site:
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/frus/. Copies of both volumes can be purchased
from the Government Printing Office: http://bookstore.gpo.gov/

5.  NEWS BITS AND BYTES
Item #1 - New Policy Board Member: The NCC is pleased to welcome the
Midwest Archives Conference as a permanent member of the NCC Policy Board.
Institutional supporters who contribute $3,000 or more per year to the NCC
are entitled to occupy a standing seat on the NCC Policy Board. For
information on how organizations can support the important advocacy work of
the NCC, contact the director at: <rbcraig@nccph.org>.

Item #2 - 1930 Census Opening: On Monday, April 1, 2002, the National
Archives and Records Administration will formally release the 1930
population census in its research rooms across the country.  Researchers
will be able to scroll through the 2,667 microfilm rolls of census
schedules. Tap into: http://www.nara.gov/nara/pressrelease/presskit.html
for an online press kit.

Item #3 - FOIA Guide:  On March 12, 2002, Congress released a new edition
of A Citizen's Guide on Using the Freedom of Information Act and the
Privacy Act of 1974 to Request Government Records. Prepared by the House
Committee on Government Reform, the booklet is a comprehensive introduction
to the theory and practice of the Freedom of Information Act.
Interestingly, one of the Guide's new passages, authored by Rep. Henry
Waxman, explicitly rejects the policy guidance contained in Attorney
General John Ashcroft's FOIA policy memorandum of October 12, 2001. "When
determining whether a document or set of documents should be withheld under
one of the FOIA exemptions, an agency should withhold those documents only
in those cases where the agency reasonably foresees that disclosure would
be harmful to an interest protected by the exemption...Contrary to the
instructions issued by the Department of Justice on October 12, 2001, the
standard should not be to allow the withholding of information whenever
there is merely a 'sound legal basis' for doing so."  Thanks to the
Federation of American Scientists, Project on Government Secrecy, for
posting the guide at: <http://www.fas.org/sgp/foia/citizen.html>.

Item #4 - FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT - NCC Events at OAH Meeting:
NCC Board 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 7:30-9:00 am (Policy Board
Members please note NEW TIME) in the Executive Director's "Presidential
Suite" at the Renaissance Washington (999 9th Street N.W., Washington, D.C.
(202. 898-9000).  Board materials were mailed out from the NCC Washington
offices 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. Bring your ideas and special concerns.

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 help participants become effective history advocates on Capitol Hill and
in their communities. For additional information about this workshop please
consult page 19 of the OAH annual meeting program.

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