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[NCCmailings] NCC WASHINGTON UPDATE, Vol. 8, #33, August 15, 200 2



From: rbcraig@nccph.org [mailto:rbcraig@nccph.org]
Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2002 7:13 AM
To: NCCmailings List Member
Subject: [NCCmailings] NCC WASHINGTON UPDATE, Vol. 8, #33, August 15, 2002


NCC WASHINGTON UPDATE, Vol. 8, #33, August 15, 2002
by Bruce Craig <rbcraig@nccph.org>
National Coordinating Committee for the Promotion of History (NCCPH)
*****************

1.  Appropriations Update: NARA Slotted for Increases in the House; NHPRC
Looking Better All the Time
2.  Legislative Catch-Up: House and Senate Act on Various Measures 3.  Pay
Study Released: Historian's Salaries -- Could be Better, Could be Worse 4.
News Bits and Bytes: NEH Announces Grants; New Smithsonian Watchdog
Organization; Historians Petition Congress
6.  Articles of Interest: "The Danger of Historical Amnesia: A Conversation
with Writer David McCullough" (Humanities, July/August 2002)


1.  APPROPRIATIONS UPDATE: NARA SLOTTED FOR INCREASES IN THE HOUSE; NHPRC
LOOKING BETTER ALL THE TIME
On July 23, 2002 the House of Representatives passed legislation (HR 5120;
H. Rept. 107-575), the Treasury, Postal Service, General Government
Appropriations Act for FY 2003, a bill that funds the National Archives and
Records Administration (NARA).  The House allotted a total of $267,189,000
for the agency including $249,731,000 for operating expenses -- an increase
of $3,884,000 over FY 2002 totals.  For the National Historical
Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), the House voted for an
additional $2 million for grants over the Administration's request,
bringing the total to $7 million.

Among the items slotted for funding is $11,837,000 for the Electronic
Records Archives (ERA).  This funding will allow NARA to continue to build
the ERA so that the Federal government can permanently preserve and make
accessible to the public valuable electronic records.  The funds will also
enable the archives to extend the life of existing electronic records
systems until the ERA is fully developed.

The bill also includes $10,458,000 for repairs and restoration of archives
facilities and to provide improved storage for holdings.  Specifically,
$1,250,000 goes to the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis to
prepare preliminary design studies to determine appropriate options for
preserving and providing access to 20th-century military service records.
There is also $3,250,000 for repairs to the Lyndon Baines Johnson
Presidential Library Plaza in Austin, Texas.

A total of $1,500,000 is budgeted for the re-engineering of the federal
records scheduling and appraisal processes.  In addition, $2.9 million was
approved to help offset increased security costs at NARA facilities
nationwide in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Though the Senate Appropriations Committee has acted on its version of the
Treasury/Postal bill (S. 2740; S. Rept. 107-212), the full Senate has yet
to pass the measure. For NARA, the Senate is recommending an appropriation
of $249,875,000 for operating expenses and $14,208,000 for repairs and
restoration. The appropriation includes $3.750 million to acquire land in
Anchorage, Alaska in anticipation of constructing a new regional archives
and records facility.  For the NHPRC, the appropriations committee is
recommending $8 million.  The Senate is expected to act on the
Treasury/Postal bill shortly after it returns from the summer recess.

2.  LEGISLATIVE CATCH-UP: HOUSE AND SENATE ACT ON VARIOUS MEASURES In a
flurry of activity just days before the Congressional recess, Congress
acted on dozens of pending bills.  Among the legislation anticipated to
become public law shortly after Congress reconvenes in early September is
legislation authorizing the Cold War theme study (H.R. 107), the "Peopling
of America" theme study (S. 329), and legislation (H.R. 3917/S. 2136)
creating a new national park unit in Pennsylvania commemorating the
passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93.

Legislation Passed By Congress:
On August 1, 2002 the Senate passed legislation (S. 1227) authorizing the
Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of the suitability and
feasibility of establishing the Niagra Falls National Heritage Area in New
York; legislation (S. 1946) to designate the Old Spanish Trail as a
National Historic Trail as well as a study bill (H.R. 1384) to consider the
feasibility of designating the trail route in Arizona and New Mexico which
the Navajo and Mescalero Apache Indian tribes were forced to walk in
1863-64.

On July 22, 2002 the House passed the "Flight 93 National Memorial Act,"
(H.R. 3917) legislation that creates a national memorial to commemorate the
passengers and crew of Flight 93 who on September 11, 2001 "gave their
lives...thwarting a planned attack on our Nation's capital."

Legislation Reported Out of Committee:
On July 31, 2002 the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
reported the following bills out of committee: Legislation (S. 1638) to
authorize a study of the French Colonial Heritage Area in Missouri as a
unit of the National Park Service; legislation (S. 2388) to study sites in
the historical district of Beaufort, South Carolina that includes language
authorizing a theme study relating to the Reconstruction era; legislation
(S. 2519) authorizing a special resources study of Coltsville, Connecticut
for potential inclusion in the National Park System; legislation (S. 2598)
to enhance criminal penalties for illegal trafficing in archeological
resources; legislation (H.R. 107) authorizing a theme study to identify
sites and resources and recommend alternatives for commemorating and
interpreting the Cold War; and legislation (H.R. 695) to establish Oil
Region National Heritage Area.

On July 23, 2002 the House Committee on Resources reported out of committee
legislation (H.R. 3434) establishing the McLoughlin House National Historic
Site and legislation (S. 329) authorizing the "Peopling of America" theme
study.

New Public Laws:
On July 24, 2002 President Bush signed into law (P.L. 107-202) legislation
(H.R. 2362) to establish the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Commission.  The new law creates a 15-member Commission to commemorate the
genius of Benjamin Franklin.  The legislation does not mandate the
appointment of an historian to the Commission, but rather a "citizen of the
United States" who possess "substantial knowledge and appreciation of the
work and legacy of Benjamin Franklin" and a "commitment to educating people
in the United States about the historical importance of Benjamin
Franklin."  In addition, an advisory committee comprised of such
individuals as the Executive Director of the American Philosophical
Society, the President of the Franklin Institute, and the Librarian of the
Library Company are charged to assist the Commission in its work.

3.  PAY STUDY RELEASED: HISTORIAN'S SALARIES -- COULD BE BETTER, COULD BE
WORSE According to a study released by the College and University
Professional
Association for Human Resources, for the fourth year in a row, professors
of law, financial management, and chemical engineering are the best-paid
faculty members in both public and private institutions.  The typical
professor realized a 3.6% to 3.7% salary increase this last year making the
average salary in all fields of $60,893 at public institutions, and $60,289
at private colleges. The average salary for historians was $58,106 at
public and $58,050 at private institutions.

Average salaries of historians lag behind compatriots in the fields of
political science and government ($59,914 and $62,703 respectively) and
anthropology ($58,710 and $64,106) but are more than those of professors of
library science ($56,992 and $44,206) and education ($57,974 and $51,760).
Historians, on average, earn just slightly more than those teaching in the
social sciences at public institutions ($56,867) but lag behind at private
institutions ($60,254).

Faculty members in library science ($44,206) and English composition
($44,616) at private colleges earned the lowest salaries. At public
institutions, English-composition professors ($48,503) and professors of
foreign languages and literature ($51,176) were at the bottom. Salaries
appear to be reflective of the supply and demand of qualified doctorates in
fields of expertise. Annual earnings for those in the lower paying fields
are not expected to rise significantly in coming years because a surplus of
Ph.D.'s is expected to persist in those fields for some years to come.

The survey covered 122,031 faculty members at 352 public colleges and
universities and 62,645 faculty members at 519 private institutions. Only
four year institutions were surveyed and medical doctors and researchers
were not surveyed because many of the institutions surveyed do not have
medical schools.  The full survey will be available from the Association's
bookstore; call (202) 429-0311, ext. 395 for ordering information.

4.   News Bits and Bytes:
Item #1 --  NEH Announces Grants: The National Endowment for the Humanities
(NEH) has announced its latest round of grants. $20.6 million was awarded
to 324 recipients in four program areas: preservation and access, research,
education, and public programs.  Much of the money is allocated for film
and radio documentaries, museum support, teacher seminars, and research.
Over $5.5 million is targeted for film documentaries and radio
programs.  Exhibitions and summer study programs for secondary school
teachers and higher education faculty each received about $3.7 million.
Library programs were allotted just over $1 million.  The largest number of
grants were awarded in the sphere of  "preservation assistance" -- some 146
grants totaling $618,000.  For a program summary and a state-by-state list
go to:<http://www.neh.gov/news/archive/20020806.html>.

Item #2 -- New Smithsonian Watchdog Organization: The Hotel Employees and
Restaurant Union Local 25 (HERE), a union that represents workers in the
District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, has just launched a new
website designed to provide information on public accountability at the
Smithsonian Institution (SI).  The site is designed to monitor and analyze
the role of tax dollars and corporate donations at the SI.  HERE represents
the museum cafeteria workers whose wages and benefits have been impacted by
the SI's recent decision to contract with McDonalds for food service at the
National Air and Science Museum. To access the website and sign-up for a
free electronic newsletter, tap into: <http://www.whosesmithsonian.org/>.

Item #3 -- Historians Petition Congress
Historians Joyce Appleby and Ellen DuBois are circulating a petition among
historians of American institutions urging "members of Congress to assume
their Constitutional responsibility to debate and vote on whether or not to
declare war on Iraq."  According to Appleby, "We understand that this may
not stop war with Iraq -- we are not sure anything can -- but it does
provide us with a chance to stand up for the fundamental Constitutional
principles of legislative decision on war-making."  Plans are in the works
to deliver the petition in person to Majority Leader Thomas Daschle (D-SD)
and Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-IL) on September 25.

The petition reads as follows: "We, the undersigned American historians,
urge our members of Congress to assume their Constitutional responsibility
to debate and vote on whether or not to declare war on Iraq. We do so
because Americans deserve to hear their representatives deliberate about a
possible war, lest such a momentous course of action be undertaken by the
president alone after a public airing filled with rumors, leaks, and
speculations. We ask our senators and representatives to do this because
Congress has not asserted its authority to declare war for over half a
century, leaving the president solely in control of war powers to the
detriment of our democracy and in clear violation of the Constitution. We
believe it is particularly urgent that Congress reassert its authority at
this time since an attack on Iraq, if made, would be an American
initiative.  Since there was no discussion of Iraq during the 2000
presidential campaign, the election of George Bush cannot be claimed as a
mandate for an attack.  Only a debate by Americans' elected representatives
can engage the public in a serious consideration of the costs, risks, and
wisdom of such a war." Those wishing to sign the petition may do so by
sending your name and institution to: <APPLEBY@HISTORY.UCLA.EDU>.

For additional articles of relevance to this issue, tap into: "Kissinger
Deposing Saddam Could Backfire"
http://www.truthout.org/docs_02/08.14A.kissinger.iraq.htm
"Poll Suggests Public Divided on Whether Bush Has Clear Policy on Iraq,
Worry About Cost" http://www.truthout.org/docs_02/08.14D.poll.iraq.htm
"Republicans Say Bush Can Justify Attack on Iraq"
http://www.truthout.org/docs_02/08.13C.gop.bush.iraq.htm

5.   Articles of Interest:
One posting this week: "The Danger of Historical Amnesia: A Conversation
with Writer David McCullough" (Humanities; July/August 2002).  In this lead
article of the bimonthly publication put out by the National Endowment for
the Humanities, NEH Chair Bruce Cole talks with the noted writer/historian
about American education and the importance of history. For the article,
tap into:<http://www.neh.fed.us/news/humanities/2002-07/danger.html>.


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