The Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2002 (H.R. 3061) was passed with broad bipartisan support by the House December 19 and the Senate December 21. The measure included $197.6 million for library programs under the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Of that, $168 million is for LSTA leadership grants and block grants to the states, and $29 million is for set-asides for specific projects requested by legislators.
The new school library resources program, established under the recently reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act, was funded at $12.5 million. ALA’s Washington Office explained that the Senate’s version of the bill had set funding at $25 million but the House bill contained no funding at all; the House-Senate appropriation conference committee apparently reached agreement by splitting the difference.
The National Commission on Libraries and Information Science was funded at $1 million. Although the Senate had requested $1.5 million, President Bush had proposed eliminating the program, and the House had asked for $1 million with language suggesting the agency use it to conclude its ongoing activities, said NCLIS Executive Director Bob Willard. The conferees took no position on the agency’s status, said Willard, who added that NCLIS planned to “move forward to continue to provide service to Congress and the president,” including a new project “focusing on the role of libraries in providing disaster-relief efforts.”
Posted December 31, 2001.