Approved-By:  Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <LIBPACS@UHUPVM1.BITNET>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pacs-l
Date:         Tue, 6 Oct 1992 10:23:25 CDT
From:         LOVE@TEMPLEVM.BITNET
Subject:      WINDO ALERT

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
                                  MEMO

From:          James Love
               Taxpayer Assets Project

RE:            Update on GPO WINDO legislation
               (HR 5983, successor to S. 2813 and HR 2772)

Date:          October 5, 1992


BACKGROUND

Congress is considering legislation that would provide the public
one-stop-shopping *online* access to federal information systems and
databases through the Government Printing Office (GPO).  The service,
which would *supplement* other agency and private sector information
products and services, would be priced at the *incremental cost of
dissemination* for most users, and be free to 1,400 federal depository
libraries.  A broad coalition of academic, library, journalist, citizen
and business groups support the legislation.

The original House bill was HR 2772, the GPO Wide Information Network
for Data Online (GPO WINDO), and the original Senate bill was S. 2813,
the GPO Gateway to Government Act.  A compromise bill, HR 5983 (which
has a number of concessions to House republicans)  was passed by the
House of Representatives on September 29, 1992.

     FMI:
     ====================================================
     fact sheets on S. 2813 and HR 2772,
     copies of S. 2813, HR 5983 or HR 5983, and
     a comparison between HR 5983 and HR 2772 and S 2813,
     can be obtained from:   tap@essential.org

     For additional information, contact the American
     Library Association at:  202/547-4440
     ====================================================

HR 5983 was scheduled for a Senate vote on friday, but it has since been
held off the Senate calendar by anonymous Senate republicans.  The
Senate leadership is trying to find who is holding the bill up, and why.
If the "holds" on the bill aren't resolved in a few days, the bill will
die, deferring action until next year at the earliest.


WHAT YOU CAN DO

If you support this important access broadening legislation, contact the
Senate leadership to urge action on the bill this year.  Since Congress
plans to adjourn this week, telephone calls are the preferred method for
making your views known.  [At this point, a single telephone call to the
right Senate office might make the difference.]

The current bill number and name is:

     HR 5983, the GPO Electronic Information Enhancement Act

Important telephone numbers to call are:

          SENATE

          Republican Leader
          Senator Robert J Dole (KA)         202/224-6521

          Assistant Republican Leader
          Senator Alan K. Simpson            202/224-3424

          Democratic Whip
          Senator Wendell H. Ford            202/224-4343


Any Senate office can be reached at:         202/224-3121

---------------------------------------------------------------
James Love                         voice:    215/658-0880
Taxpayer Assets Project            fax:      call
12 Church Road                     internet: love@essential.org
Ardmore, PA  19003
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU