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Update on Efforts to Save NHPRC Funding for FY06
April 19, 2005—Since mid-March, when the archival community learned
that President Bush’s proposed budget provides no funding for NHPRC grants
and program administration, we have been very active in informing members of
Congress of the need to restore funding. SAA, the Council of State Historical
Records Coordinators (COSHRC), and the National Association of Government Archives
and Records Administrators (NAGARA) formed a Joint Task Force on Advocacy to
coordinate efforts within the community. The Task Force has also worked closely
with the Association for Documentary Editing and the National Coalition for
History.
Initial efforts have focused on informing members of the House and
Senate Appropriations committees, and the subcommittees that deal directly
with the NARA appropriation,
of the critical nature of the NHPRC funding. To date, our efforts have yielded
more than 300 letters, at least 35 “live” visits, and countless
phone calls to members of Congress. “Thank You!” to everyone
who
has participated in this effort.
Here’s what’s next, and what you
can do to help:
- If you have colleagues who have not yet sent a letter, please
urge them to do so before April 26, when the House Appropriations Committee
will conduct
a hearing on the National Archives budget. This hearing marks the beginning
of a process that will likely continue into the summer, when the budget mark-ups
are finalized by the House and Senate.
If you live or work in a district or
state represented by a member of the House or Senate Appropriations committees:
- Fax
a letter if you haven’t done so already.
- If you have already sent a letter,
make a call or send an additional fax asking your member
to attend the NARA Appropriations Hearing on April 26 and
speak
on behalf of NHPRC.
- If at all possible, visit your member in Washington or
while he or she is in your district. Talk to the staff
person in charge of appropriations, who
can
be very influential.
- If you are unsure of whether your member of Congress is
on the Appropriations Committee or subcommittees dealing
with NARA, see:
If you do not live or work in
a district or state represented by a member of the House or Senate
Appropriations committees:
- Fax a letter
or call your Congressperson’s office and suggest
that he or she contact the members of the Appropriations
Committee
and Appropriations subcommittees to urge their support.
- Submit public testimony to the Appropriations
Committee for consideration as part of the NARA hearing on April 26. Although
there will be no “live” testimony
from the public, the Committee is accepting testimony via a Web site.
Please click here for tips on preparing testimony and
information about how to submit it.
Please forward this update to others who may be interested
or able to help.
There is strength in numbers!
See also:
Update on Efforts to Save NHPRC Funding
for FY06 (May 2005)
Providing Public Testimony on NHPRC (April 2005)
NHPRC Budget Zeroed Out for FY2006! (February
22, 2005)
NARA Press Release (February 7, 2005)
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