[Libs-Or] Information and Action: ALA District Dispatch: The numbers come in as Congress heads out of town

[Diedre Conkling]

The numbers come in as Congress heads out of
town<http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=5993>
April 15, 2011

After months of debate, we finally have a FY 2011 budget that will fund the
government through September
30<http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=5990>.
This budget will make $38.5 billion in cuts compared to the FY 2010 levels
and includes a .2% across-the-board cut for all non-defense discretionary
spending.  Three of the programs of concern to the library community are
shown below.

As reported in the Senate Committee on Appropriations press release:

*Library of Congress*<http://appropriations.senate.gov/news.cfm?method=news.view&id=565dbba5-5aa4-4c79-bc6c-d9d1096e1d88>
*. *The CR provides $629.9 million in funding for the Library of Congress, a
reduction of $13.4 million (-2%) below the FY 10 enacted level, but an
increase of $27.4 million (4.5%) above the level provided in H.R. 1. The
funding level provided in the CR proposal will require a hiring freeze, and
core services and products will be delayed as staff levels are reduced.

By contrast, the funding cuts contained in H.R. 1 would have require the LOC
to furlough all library staff for approximately eight weeks, including a
complete closure of Library facilities and services during that period. In
other words, for two months of the remaining six months, the Library would
have to be closed.

*Government Printing
Office*<http://appropriations.senate.gov/news.cfm?method=news.view&id=565dbba5-5aa4-4c79-bc6c-d9d1096e1d88>
*. *The CR provides $135.3 million for the Government Printing Office (GPO),
the same level as provided in H.R.1. As most reductions were taken from the
revolving fund, the level of funding provided will allow the GPO to operate
at the current level with no service disruptions.

 *General Services
Administration.*<http://appropriations.senate.gov/news.cfm?method=news.view&id=549a381c-0b9a-4192-8334-a1c419381210>The
CR provides $82 million for construction and acquisition and $280
million for repair of federal buildings and courthouses. In total, GSA
programs were cut by almost $1 billion (a cut of $986 million, compared with
a net level of $652.7 million in FY10 and a cut of $1.1 billion in H.R. 1).
Funding is provided for the first installment of the Integrated Acquisition
Environment, a government-wide information system that will improve contract
and grant award, management, and training, as well as provide a critical
link in fulfilling the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act
(FFATA).

 The General Services Administration cut could affect their E-government
fund, dramatically lowering the budgets for sites such as Data.gov.  These
decisions are not final and as the House and Senate will be on recess for
the next two weeks, now is the perfect time to share your thoughts with them
regarding these important government sites.

 It is now time to turn our grass root efforts to the FY2012 budget
process.  With both the Senate and House on recess for two weeks, you should
take this opportunity to search out your representatives and senators.
Invite them to your libraries and share with them the importance of what
libraries do, express the necessity of continued funding for vital programs,
such as that of the Census Bureau’s Statistical Compendia
Branch<http://capwiz.com/ala/issues/alert/?alertid=40090501>.
  If you would like some helpful language when speaking with your
congressman, please visit the Legislative Action
Center<http://capwiz.com/ala/home/>.



-- 

*Diedre Conkling**
Lincoln County Library District
P.O. Box 2027
Newport, OR 97365
Phone & Fax: 541-265-3066
Work email**: **diedre at lincolncolibrarydist.org*<diedre at lincolncolibrarydist.org>
*
Home email: **diedre08 at gmail.com* <diedre08 at gmail.com>
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