The U.S. Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee rejected an amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act March 9 that would have provided $275 million in funding to school libraries to purchase new reference materials and to supply well-trained, professionally certified school library media specialists.
ALA’s Washington Office reports that the Elementary and Secondary School Library Media Resources, Training, and Advanced Technology Assistance Act (S. 1262), sponsored by Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), was defeated on an 8-to-10 party-line vote, with all minority Democratic members voting for it and all majority Republicans voting against it. The ESEA reauthorization act itself was approved by a vote of 10 to 8.
Sen. Reed has been actively promoting the bill: On March 1, the opening day of the ESEA’s markup, he read from a library book on careers that was copyrighted in the 1950s. He has announced his intention to offer S. 1262 as an amendment once again when the ESEA reauthorization (S. 2) reaches the Senate floor for a vote after the body’s recess ends March 17.
Posted March 20, 2000.