[Libs-Or] Fwd: [District Dispatch] To Senate: Keep Library, Education & Broadband provisions in Senate stimulus package

[Diedre Conkling]

Here are two updates on the Economic Stimulus package from the ALA
Washington office.  (http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/ )

 To Senate: Keep Library, Education & Broadband provisions in Senate
stimulus package <http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1841> February
07th, 2009 | Category: ALAWON<http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?cat=1>

UPDATE ON LATEST SENATE STIMULUS BILL:  Saturday, 4:05 p.m.

The Senate has just finished a unique Saturday session with numerous floor
statements from senators on both sides of the aisle.  There has been no
action on the floor since late last night.  Good news:  From what we can
discern without being able to confirm specific language with Senate
staffers, amendment 501 was DEFEATED last night.  This amendment would have
cut, from among other programs, $200 million in funding for libraries and
community colleges for broadband deployment.

THANK YOU - library advocates. You all generated at least 1,000
calls/messages to senators to help save this funding. It was a tremendous
effort in a very few hours - and it helped!

Unfortunately, it appears that there have been very troublesome changes to
the education/library provisions in the bill.  Without being able to obtain
the actual language, we cannot confirm with any detail, what specific pieces
were cut or eliminated.

Supporters - there is still much to do. We now need to generate more
messages to ALL senators on the overall library, education and broadband
provisions.  We ask library supporters to continue to contact each of their
senators (email, calls or faxes) between now and Tuesday.  Watch here at
District Dispatch and other news reports to see if the scheduled vote or
other provisions change within the next couple of days.)

NEW MESSAGE FOR LIBRARY ADVOCATES TO ALL SENATORS: Keep all library,
education and broadband provisions in the stimulus bill.

* Broadband is necessary to level the playing field in all communities and
for people of all economic backgrounds and will spur economic recovery and
promote new jobs.

* Libraries provide the public with unique, necessary and affordable
information and online services related to job and career development,
databases and other online information, and computer literacy training to
help people apply for jobs and utilize e-government services, which are now
often exclusively online.

* Libraries support local small businesses, distance learning and community
development.

* Libraries are often the ONLY no-fee access to the internet in local
communities - especially in rural areas.

* Where libraries have access to broadband, communities benefit because the
public has access to the applications and services needed to function in the
modern knowledge economy.

* The important library and broadband provisions of the stimulus bill can:
- create jobs to build out fiber and other broadband infrastructure;
- create jobs for manufacturers and others to supply broadband technology;
- create new markets for affordable broadband;
- stimulate jobs in libraries, education and other community entities that
will then also help the public find jobs, develop employment skills, etc.
No comments <http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1841#respond>
 Day 4: Economic Stimulus Package Update
<http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1835> February 07th, 2009 |
Category: ALAWON <http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?cat=1>

SENATE WORK ON STIMULUS PACKAGE CONTINUES.  THERE ARE RUMORS THE SENATE WILL
WORK THROUGH THE NIGHT.  OTHER REPORTS SUGGEST THAT A "DEAL" HAS BEEN MADE.
WE'RE NOT QUITE SURE WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE COMING HOURS.

But - we want to say:  Thank you!  As you all know, today has been an
extremely busy day for library advocates.  In the course of two hours  this
afternoon , over 700 library activists called the Senate to ask them to
vote  NO on Senate Amendment 501.   This doesn't count the other calls,
e-mails and faxes that many of you also did.  SA 501 was offered by Senators
Conrad (D-ND) and Graham (R-SC) this afternoon could  remove $200 million
for broadband technology and divert the funds to the FDIC.  Our work here is
not yet done; if you haven't already done so please call your Senator and
ask them to vote NO on S.A. 501.

The message is:  keep the $200 million for libraries and broadband in H.R. 1
- defeat amendment 501.  Libraries provide information on jobs, employment
skills, and all other types of job-seeking information.  More people are
using libraries during these difficult times and the demand for broadband is
greater than ever.

We will continue to monitor the Senate activities tonight and through the
weekend if necessary.  Debate on the economic stimulus package is expected
to last well into the night and could even go through the weekend.   Stay
tuned; as we've stated before, the situation changes by the minute and the
Washington Office will keep you updated on the latest news and alerts.


-- 
Diedre Conkling
Lincoln County Library District
P.O. Box 2027
Newport, OR  97365
Phone & Fax:  541-265-3066
diedre08 at gmail.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/attachments/20090207/0d271392/attachment.html>