[Libs-Or] [Fwd: [alacro-l] URGENT ACTION NEEDED: Protect Library Funding in the Economic Stimulus Package]

[Suzanne Sager]

FYI

Suzanne L. Sager
ALA Oregon Chapter Councelor

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	[alacro-l] URGENT ACTION NEEDED: Protect Library Funding in 
the Economic Stimulus Package
Date: 	Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:03:34 -0500
From: 	Don Wood <dwood at ala.org>
Reply-To: 	alacro-l at ala.org
To: 	<alacro-l at ala.org>



The next 36 to 48 hours is critical to get millions, maybe billions, of 
dollars for libraries in the stimulus package.  We need every single 
library supporter to start sending messages and calling congressional 
offices so that we can keep important library provisions in the American 
Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  As you all know, libraries are a 
key source of free Internet access to look for jobs and so much more.  
Our libraries provide essential services that stimulate our local 
economies, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 20009 
provides crucial funding for libraries to continue and build upon them.  
This week/, the Senate and House versions of the economic stimulus 
package will go to conference to reconcile these pieces of legislation, 
and your calls and e-mails will help protect this funding/.  There are 
pros and cons of each version of the stimulus, and we need to protect 
the parts that benefit our communities.

 

In the coming days, you will receive a lot of e-mails from us, and your 
advocacy will be the key to our success.   Last week, Senate Amendment 
501 could have stripped broadband funding from their version of the bill 
but your calls and e-mails to your elected officials defeated this 
amendment and successfully protected this funding.  Now, more than ever, 
your activism is needed.  *Over 1,250 calls went to our elected 
officials, and now we need even more.*

 

Please call your elected officials and tell them to communicate with the 
conferees in support of the following parts in both the House and the 
Senate versions:

 

    * Restore education construction funds eliminated from the Senate
      version of the ARRA. The House version of the ARRA would provide
      $14 billion for K-12 construction and $6 billion for higher
      education construction and specifically mention libraries as an
      allowable use of funds.  The K-12 construction funds would create
      300,000 jobs.
    * Restore the money cut from the State Stabilization Fund in the
      Senate bill to $79 billion to and restore the Governors ability to
      use a portion of the funds at his or her discretion.
    * Maintain $8 billion for ‘Broadband Technology Opportunities
      Program’ for robust broadband to all of America including “fiber
      to the libraries for the 21st century.”
    * No less than $200 million that shall be available for competitive
      grants for expanding public computer center capacity, including
      community colleges and public libraries.
    * Open access of networks should be upheld and not include
      provisions allowing intrusive network management techniques.

If your elected officials are one of the following, it is even more 
critical that you contact them, as they are conferees on this 
legislation and control what stays in and what will be taken out.  
Please contact the following and use the same talking points:

 

Appropriations Chairman Obey (D-WI)

Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel (D-NY)

Commerce Chairman Waxman (D-CA)

Appropriations Ranking Member Jerry Lewis (R-CA)

Ways and Means Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI)

Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)

Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT)

Appropriations Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-HI)

Finance Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

Appropriations Ranking Member Thad Cochran (R-MS)

Again, the only way our grassroots effort will be successful is with 
your calls and e-mails.  Your efforts have resulted in a stay of 
implementation on the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act and a 
defeat of the amendment that would have cut broadband funding from the 
Senate version of the economic stimulus act.  This is our most important 
ask yet; without your calls, libraries will be left out of this legislation.

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/attachments/20090212/649e694a/attachment.html>