NCC Washington Update Vol. 1, #24, May 10, 1995
By Page Putnam Miller, Director of the National Coordinating Committee
for the Promotion of History <pagem@CapAccess.org>
1. House Authorization Committee Votes for Big Cuts for NEH
2. Senate To Hold Hearing on May 24 for Carlin As U.S. Archivist
3. Senate Budget Resolution Has Bad News for NEH
1. House Authorization Committee Votes for Big Cuts for NEH
On May 10 the House Economic and Educational Opportunities Committee,
which has responsibility for oversight and reauthorization of the
National Arts and Humanities Endowments, considered H.R.1557, a bill
introduced by Chairman Bill Goodling (R-PA), which calls for the
authorization of funding for NEH and NEA in FY'96, FY'97, and FY'98.
The bill which would take affect on October 1, 1995 is actually a
three year phase out for the Endowments. The NEH received slight
preferential treatment. The bill calls for NEA to be cut 40% in
1996, 40% in 1997, and 20% in 1998, and then be eliminated in 1999.
For NEH the bill calls for a 20% cut in 1996, 20% in 1997, 20% in
1998, and elimination in 1999. The bill calls for the transfer of 80%
of both NEH and NEA funds to the states in each fiscal year. The
House Economic and Educational Opportunities Committee voted to
recommend this bill to House, paving the way for a floor vote. The
vote for the measure was 19 in favor, 2 opposed and 18 present and not
voting, all Democrats.
Prior to the final vote on the Goodling bill the Committee considered
several other amendments. Representative Pat Williams (D-MT) offered
an amendment that provided for a 2-year reauthorization with such sums
as necessary. The Williams amendment failed, with 24 votes against
and 19 for. The voting on the Williams amendment basically followed
party lines with Marge Roukema (R-NJ) the only Republican voting for
the Williams bill and Representative Tim Roemer (D-IN) the only
Democrat voting against the Williams amendment. There was also a vote
to zero out funding for the endowments beginning in October. That
amendment failed with 31 voting against and 11 members voting for it,
all Republicans.
With the House now having in H.R. 1557 a reauthorization bill reported
out of the full committee, supporters of the endowments are very eager
to see the Senate reauthorization bill which is still being drafted
but is expected to be considered by the Senate Labor and Human
Resources Committee on May 24.
2. Senate to Hold Confirmation Hearing on May 24 on John Carlin for
U.S. Archivist
With the support of Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-KS), also a
friend of Carlin, the Senate is moving swiftly to consider the
nomination of John Carlin for U.S. Archivist. Carlin, a former
governor of Kansas who headed Clinton's campaign in Kansas and hold a
B.S. in Dairy Science, is making courtesy calls this week on members
of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee. The hearing is
tentatively slated for May 24, two days prior to the May 26 recess.
Although the staff for Senator William Roth, the chair of the
Governmental Affair s Committee, had indicated on May 9 that there may
be no outside witnesses, it appears today that representatives of the
major historical and archival organizations will have a chance to
testify. The American Historical Association, the Organization of
American Historians, and the Society of American Archivists have been
on record for several months opposing the Carlin nomination because of
his political activities and lack of professional qualifications.
Several other organizations are also opposing the nomination. The
Midwest Archives Conference passed a resolution on May 5 opposing the
nomination. The American Library Association is on record opposing,
stating: "Any partisan identification attached to the Archivist
position would undermine the objectivity, independence, and
professionalism required for decisions of a sensitive nature regarding
presidential papers and other materials crucial to public access to
the historical record in a democracy." On May 10 the American Council
of Learned Societies notified Senator Roth of their opposition of the
Carlin nomination stating that "he possesses none of the professional
qualifications which inspired the language of the statute which
secured the independence of the National Archives and Records
Administration a decade ago, and . . . the only ground for his
nomination appears to be his personal and political relation to the
President." In papers circulated by the White House on Carlin, two
organizations are listed as supporting Carlin -- the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers and the Railway Labor Executives Association.
The White House is trying hard to find professional groups to
support him.
All Senators and especially members of the Senate Governmental Affairs
Committee need to hear from their constituents about this nomination.
Members of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee are: William
Roth (R-DE), Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), William Cohen (R-ME), Charles
Grassley (R-IA), Fred Thompson (R-TN), John McCain (R-AZ), Bob Smith
(R-NH), John Glenn, Ranking Minority (D-OH), Sam Nunn (D-GA), Carl
Levin (D-MI), David Pryor (D-AR), Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), Daniel
Akaka (D-HI), Byron Dorgan (D-ND). The Capitol Switchboard which can
transfer your call to any Senator's office is (202) 224-3121.
3. Budget Resolution Has Bad News For NEH
The House Budget Resolution coming out of the House Budget Committee
calls for zero funding next year for NEH and NEA. The Senate Budget
Resolution recommends to the appropriations subcommittee a cut in
FY'96 of 50% for NEH and NEA. These recommendations will have to go
to the floor for votes and then to a Conference Committee for
reconciliation. The recommendations of the Budget Committees are not
binding on the appropriations committees. The Budget Resolution
appears to have no impact on the budgets of the National Archives and
the National Historical Publications and Records Administration's
grants program.