Correction: I referred in my earlier long post on the CA and nuance to
a 1974 Supreme Court decision. The statute under review was passed in
1974; the court decision came in 1977. Sorry for the oops, I knew that
but wasn't thinking as I typed that.
Maarja
>>> "R. Bruce Craig" <[log in to unmask]> 8/18/2006 7:54:17
AM >>>
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NCH WASHINGTON UPDATE (Vol. 12, #32; 18 August 2006)
by R. Bruce Craig (editor)
NATIONAL COALITION FOR HISTORY (NCH)
Website at http://www.h-net.org/~nch/
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1. APPROPRIATIONS: WHERE WE STAND
2. STILL TIME TO COMMENT ON PROPOSED CHANGE IN NARA RESEARCH HOURS
3. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE TO GET NEW DIRECTOR
4. HISTORY COALITION ANNOUNCES SEARCH FOR NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
5. BITS AND BYTES: National Heritage Area Report; Revolutionary War/
War
of 1812 Study; Kennedy Library to Digitize all JFK Records
6. ARTICLES OF INTEREST: "Teacher's Radical 9/11 Views Raise Red
Flags"
(Christian Science Monitor)
1. APPROPRIATIONS: WHERE WE STAND
Just prior to beginning Congress’s annual summer recess, the Senate
Appropriations Committee completed work on all its spending bills,
including the several of greatest interest to historians and
archivists:
the Labor/HHS/Education, Interior and Related Agencies, and
Transportation/Treasury bills.
The Senate is not nearly as far along in wrapping up work on federal
agency
funding as is the House, which has voted on all of its appropriations
bills
except the Labor/HHS bill. When Congress reconvenes in early September,
Hill insiders hold little hope that Congress will complete its work on
the
FY 2007 budget that is slotted to begin 1 October; most expect that
both
Houses will hold off final action until after the November elections.
As a
result Congress undoubtedly will need to pass one or more Continuing
Resolutions (CRs) in order to keep the government operating.
The Department of Education is funded out of the Labor/Health and Human
Services /Education appropriation bill. On 20 July, the Senate
Appropriations Committee approved a $605.6 billion bill that includes
“level funding” ($9.699 million) for the Javits doctoral Fellowships.
Senator Robert C. Byrd once again delivered a recommended FY 2007
funding
level for the “Teaching American History Grant” (TAH) program of $121
million -- an increase of $1.2 million over last year’s appropriation
and a
whopping 70% higher than the President’s request and what the House
recommended. The funding request includes a reserve of up to 3 percent
of
funds appropriated for “national activities.” While the Department of
Education is empowered to recommend how these national grants should be
spent, this year’s legislation directs the Education Department to
submit
an operating plan to Congress detailing how these reserve funds would
be
used to support of the TAH program.
The Senate recommended a funding level of $260.1 million for the
Institute
of Library and Museum Services - some $20.3 million below the House
mark
but $12.9 million above the FY 2006 appropriated level.
The Interior bill, which funds NEH and other cultural agencies, was
marked
up by the Senate Appropriations Committee on 29 June. The committee
approved flat funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities
(NEH),
keeping it at the current year's level of $141 million.
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) -- including
the
National Historical Publications and Records Commission) -- is funded
out
of the Transportation/Treasury bill. On 18 July the Senate provided
the
National Archives with $348 million, including $5 million for the
National
Historical Publications and Records Commission (but no funds for
program
administration). The House allocated $7.5 million for the NHPRC -- the
most likely figure to be agreed on by conferees when they meet to iron
out
the differences between the contrasting House and Senate bills.
This year, part of NARA’s base funding provides for the new Public
Interest
Declassification Board (PIDB) as well as for the Electronic Records
Archives (ERA) -- $48.810 million. According to the accompanying
report,
“the Committee has denied additional operating expense funds for the
Nixon
Presidential Library due to other higher priorities and budget
constraints.” Funds are, however, provided for ongoing repairs at the
LBJ
and JFK Presidential libraries and for construction of the Alaska
Regional
Archives and Records Center.
2. STILL TIME TO COMMENT ON PROPOSED CHANGE IN NARA RESEARCH HOURS
An interim final rule recently published in the Federal Register
requests
public comment on a proposed change in the hours for conducting
research at
the National Archives Building (DC) and the National Archives facility
at
College Park (MD) and for visiting the Rotunda and National Archives
public
exhibitions. NARA proposes to have research facilities open 9 a.m. to
5 p.
m. Monday through Friday, but no longer would there be evening or
Saturday
hours. Regional archive facilities would also modify their extended
hours.
If approved as drafted, the rule and the changed hours will go into
effect
2 October 2006. There is still time to comment on the proposed changes.
Comments must be received by 8 September 2006. A link to the rule is
at:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.
gov/2006/pdf/E6-11763.pdf
. Comments may be forwarded via www.regulations.gov .
3. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE TO GET NEW DIRECTOR
On July 26 2006, National Park Service Director Fran Mainella, the 16th
Director of the National Park Service, announced that, after nearly six
years of service, she will leave her position to devote more time to
her
family. A departure date has not been set.
In her resignation letter to the President, Mainella wrote, "Thank you,
Mr.
President for allowing me to serve you and the American people as the
Director of the National Park Service. Thank you for your support and
confidence in my ability as the first woman to serve as Director." For
the
official Department of Interior announcement, go to:
http://www.doi.gov/news/06_News_Releases/060726.htm
4. HISTORY COALITION ANNOUNCES SEARCH FOR NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
With the anticipated departure of R. Bruce Craig in January 2007, the
National Coalition for History (NCH), which serves as the central
educational and advocacy outreach office for the history and archival
communities, is seeking applications for the position of executive
director. The following announcement has been posted on the web pages
of
the National Coalition for History ( http://www.h-net.org/~nch/ ) the
American Historical Association (www.historians.org) and other
history-oriented web pages.
A consortium of over 75 organizations, the NCH concentrates on issues
involving federal funding and policies that have an impact on
history-related programs, research, and teaching. These include policy
issues related to the support of historical research and public
programming, federal historical offices, archival policies, FOIA and
access
to government information, copyright and intellectual property issues,
and
historic preservation.
Description of Position: The executive director serves as the
organization’s voice on Capitol Hill. In addition, the executive
director
is responsible for maintaining the organization’s web pages; writing
and
publishing a weekly electronic newsletter -- the NCH Washington Update
--
that is distributed via H-NET to professionals across the nation; and
encouraging cooperation and, when appropriate, united action among
member
organizations.
The NCH is a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) charitable organization that is
overseen
by a 20-member policy board; the executive director, who is the only
staff
person, is a registered lobbyist. The NCH operates out of an office in
the
American Historical Association’s headquarters on Capitol Hill in
Washington, DC. Candidates interested in the position are urged to
visit
the organization’’s web page at http://www.h-net.org/~nch/ where past
annual reports and the organization’s 2000-2005 strategic plan may be
consulted (an updated strategic plan will be posted in the near future).
Preferred Qualifications: The NCH seeks candidates with qualifications
in a
history-related field (an advanced degree in history or archives is
preferred), advocacy experience, effective communication skills
(particularly the ability to write concise and clear prose under the
pressure of deadlines), expertise in relevant policy and legislative
issues, background of working with boards and professional
associations,
demonstrated ability to work with a diverse constituency,
administrative
capabilities, and facility at performing disparate tasks. Salary is
negotiable and commensurate with experience and qualifications.
Application Procedure: An application letter; resume; names, addresses,
and
telephone numbers of three references; and a short writing sample,
should
be sent to: Chair of the Search Committee National Coalition for
History,
400 A St., SE, Washington, DC 20003.
Inquiries about the position should be directed to Arnita Jones at
[log in to unmask], president and chair of the NCH Policy Board.
Review
of applications will begin 1 October 2006, and will continue until the
position is filled. Interviews will be conducted beginning in
mid-October.
The anticipated start date for the successful candidate is negotiable
but 1
January 2007 is the target; there will be a short overlap with the
current
executive director.
5. BITS AND BYTES
Item #1 -- National Heritage Area Report: On July 25, the National Park
System Advisory Board released “Charting a Future for National Heritage
Areas: A Report by the National Park System Advisory Board.” Almost 50
million people in 19 states live within the 27 existing congressionally
designated National Heritage Areas. More than 20 proposals for new
National
Heritage Areas are under consideration by the 109th Congress. The
report
recommends that a National Heritage Areas System be established within
the
Department of the Interior to provide a legislative framework of
specific
standards and criteria. The congressionally chartered National Park
System
Advisory Board is made up of 12 citizens appointed to provide advice on
matters related to the operation and administration of the National
Park
Service. For the report and related information go to:
http://www.cr.nps.gov/heritageareas/ and
http://www.nps.gov/policy/NHAreport.htm .
Item #2 -- Revolutionary War/ War of 1812 Study: The National Park
Service
has completed a draft of a report that identifies Revolutionary War and
War
of 1812 sites, provide alternatives for their preservation,
interpretation,
and research and proposes land preservation techniques. The report
seeks to
raise the profile of endangered sites and documents historical context
and
focuses on opportunities for preservation of the sites. The draft
report is
available online at http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/abpp/Rev1812Draft.pdf
(Password “Rev1812Draft”) .
Item #3 -- Kennedy Library to Digitize all JFK Records: The Kennedy
Library
has announced a major new initiative -- to digitize all of its records
pertaining to John F. Kennedy -- including documents, film, and audio
and
video recordings and make them accessible to researchers around the
world
via the Internet. The project is being made possible by the Kennedy
Library
Foundation and EMC Corporation (a Massachusetts-based information
management and storage company). Total cost of the project? -- around
$1
million.
6. ARTICLES OF INTEREST
One posting this week: In "Teacher's Radical 9/11 Views Raise Red
Flags" by
Amanda Paulson of the Christian Science Monitor (18 August 2006)
reports on
the controversy focusing on a university lecturer who casts doubt in
class
that terrorists plotted the attacks. Is that academic freedom? For the
article go to:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0818/p03s01-legn.html?s=hns
====================================================================
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Who We Are...
The National Coalition for History (NCH) is a nonprofit educational
organization that provides leadership in history related advocacy; it
serves as the profession's national voice in the promotion of history
and
archives, and acts as a clearinghouse of news and information of
interest
to history related professionals. Membership in the history coalition
is
open to organizations that share our concern for history and archives.
For
information on how your history/archive organization can become a
member,
visit our website at http://www.h-net.org/~nch/ and click on the "Join
the
Coalition" web link.
Contribute and Support this publication...
Individuals are invited to help support the NCH by sending a donation
directly to the NCH at 400 A Street S.E., Washington D.C. 20003, or, by
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contributions are tax deductible.
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