Approved-By:  "EDTECH Moderator" <21765EDT@MSU.BITNET>
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Date:         Fri, 25 Sep 1992 23:20:00 EDT
From:         Gleason Sackman <sackman@plains.nodak.edu>
Subject:      ALAWON Vol. 1, No. 9 (from ALA-WO)

Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1992 15:05:33 -0400
From: ALA Washington Office <NU_ALAWASH@cua.bitnet>
To: Multiple recipients of list ALA-WO <ALA-WO@uicvm.bitnet>
Subject: ALAWON Vol. 1, No. 9

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                                  ALAWON
                      ALA Washington Office Newsline
                     An electronic publication of the
              American Library Association Washington Office

                            Volume 1, Number 9
                            September 24, 1992

   In this issue: (270 lines)
     CORRECTION TO ALAWON VOL. 1, NO. 8
     GPO WINDO TRANSFORMED
     TEXT OF H.R. 5983 APPROVED BY THE COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION ON
          SEPTEMBER 23, 1992
     SENATE PASSES LIBRARY PROGRAM FUNDING

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                    CORRECTION TO ALAWON VOL. 1, NO. 8

In ALAWON Vol. 1, No. 8, distributed on September 11, 1992, we identified
Newt Gingrich of Georgia as a Democrat.  Rep. Gingrich is in fact a
Republican.  We regret the error.

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                           GPO WINDO TRANSFORMED

The GPO WINDO/Gateway has been transformed--with elements of it
incorporated into HR 5983, the Government Printing Office Electronic
Information Access Enhancement Act of 1992.  HR 5983 was introduced on
September 22 by Reps. Charlie Rose (D-NC), Chair of the Committee on House
Administration, William Thomas (R-CA), and Pat Roberts (R-KS) (see the
September 22 _Congressional Record_, pp. E2737-8).  The Committee on House
Administration approved HR 5983 with several amendments on September 23.
This bill, the product of negotiations between Democrats and Republicans,
would establish in GPO a means of enhancing electronic public access to a
wide range of federal electronic information.  House floor action is ex-
pected within the next few days. The bill would then move to the Senate for
quick floor action before the anticipated adjournment date of October 3.

ACTION NEEDED:  It is important--right away--to thank sponsors of HR 2772,
the GPO WINDO bill, and ask them to support HR 5983 when it comes to the
House floor.  HR 2772 sponsors are: Reps. Bacchus (D-FL), Barnard (D-GA),
Boucher (D-VA), Bruce (D-IL), Callahan (R-AL), Clinger (R-PA), Durbin (D-
IL), Evans (D-IL), Fazio (D-CA), Ford (D-MI), Gejdenson (D-CT), Glickman
(D-KS), Gordon (D-TN), Hyde (R-IL), Johnson (D-SD), Kopetski (D-OR), Matsui
(D-CA), McMillen (D-MD), Neal (D-NC), Norton (D-DC), Owens (D-NY), Penny
(D-MN), Porter (R-IL), Rahall (D-WV), Ravenel (R-SC), Ritter (R-PA), Roemer
(D-IN), Sabo (D-MN), Sanders (I-VT), Sawyer (D-OH), Slattery (D-KS), Smith
(R-NJ), Stallings (D-ID), Vucanovich (R-NV), Wheat (D-MO), Wilson (D-TX).

ADDITIONALLY, ask these key Senators to do everything they can to pass the
bill in the Senate before the end of the session: Sens. Mitchell (D-ME),
Majority Leader of the Senate; Ford (D-KY), Majority Whip of the Senate and
Chair of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee; Stevens (R-AK),
ranking minority member on the Committee; and Dole (R-KS), Minority Leader
of the Senate.

Tell legislators how important it is for their constituents to have online
access to publications like the _Congressional Record_ and the _Federal
Register_, both for sale through GPO and without charge through depository
libraries. When he introduced HR 5983, Rep. Rose said: "This bill is a
first step toward enhancing the ability of the American people to more
easily obtain information from the Federal Government.  This bill
represents a bipartisan effort to encourage the dissemination of taxpayer-
funded information and to bring the information resources of the Government
closer to the people."

HIGHLIGHTS OF HR 5983:

PRODUCTS:  (within one year)
*  system of online access to the _Congressional Record_ and the _Federal
   Register_
*  electronic directory of federal public information
*  agency dissemination (at agency request)

FEES:  Superintendent of Documents
*  charge the incremental cost of dissemination
*  use of the directory and the system available to depository libraries
   without charge

STUDY:  Superintendent of Documents study (report to Congress)
*  access through electronic networks
*  use of existing agency systems
*  standards with the National Institute of Standards and Technology
*  cost savings
*  independent evaluation by the General Accounting Office

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TEXT OF H.R. 5983 APPROVED BY THE COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION ON
SEPTEMBER 23, 1992:

102D CONGRESS            H.R. 5983
2D SESSION

     To establish in the Government Printing Office a means of enhancing
electronic public access to a wide range of Federal electronic information.

                      IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            September 22, 1992

Mr. ROSE (for himself, Mr. THOMAS of California, and Mr. ROBERTS)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House
Administration

                                  A BILL

To establish in the Government Printing Office a means of enhancing
electronic public access to a wide range of Federal electronic information.

     Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

     This Act may be cited as the "Government Printing Office Electronic
Information Access Enhancement Act of 1992".

SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO TITLE 44, UNITED STATES CODE.

     (a) IN GENERAL.-- Title 44, United States Code, is amended by adding
at the end the following new chapter:

                      "CHAPTER 41--ACCESS TO FEDERAL
                          ELECTRONIC INFORMATION

"Sec.
"4101. Electronic directory of Federal electronic information; online
access to the Congressional Record and the Federal Register.

"4102. Fees.

4101. Electronic directory of Federal electronic information; online
access to the Congressional Record and the Federal Register

     "(a) IN GENERAL.--The Superintendent of Documents, under the direction
of the Public Printer, shall--

     "(1) Maintain an electronic directory of Federal public information
stored electronically; and

     "(2) provide a system of online access to the Congressional Record,
the Federal Register, and, as determined by the Superintendent of
Documents, other appropriate publications distributed by the Superintendent
of Documents.

     "(b)  DEPARTMENTAL REQUESTS.--To the extent practicable, the
Superintendent of Documents shall accommodate any request by the head of a
department or agency to include in the system of access referred to in
subsection (a)(2) information that is under the control of the department
or agency involved.

     "(c) CONSULTATION.--In carrying out this section, the Superintendent
of Documents shall consult--

     "(1) users of the directory and the system of access provided for
under subsection (a); and

     "(2) other providers of similar information services.

The purpose of such consultation shall be to assess the quality and value
of the directory and the system, in light of user needs.

4102. Fees

     "(a) IN GENERAL.--The Superintendent of Documents, under the direction
of the Public Printer, may charge reasonable fees for use of the directory
and the system of access provided for under section 4101, except that use
of the directory and the system shall be made available to depository
libraries without charge.  The fees received shall be treated in the same
manner as moneys received from sale of documents under section 1702 of this
title.

     "(b) COST RECOVERY.--The fees charged under this section should be set
so as to recover the incremental cost of dissemination of the information
involved, with the cost to be computed without regard to section 1708 of
this title.".

     (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.--The table of chapters for title 44, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

"41. Access to Federal electronic information.".

     (c) SPECIAL RULE.--The directory and the system of access referred to
in section 4101 of title 44, United States Code, as added by subsection
(a), shall be operational not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. FEASIBILITY STUDY BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS.

     (a) IN GENERAL.--The Superintendent of Documents, under the direction
of the Public Printer, shall conduct a study of the feasibility of
enhancing public access to Federal electronic information.  In conducting
the study, the Superintendent of Documents shall--

     (1) consult the heads of departments and agencies of the Government,
other users of Federal electronic information, and other persons likely to
be affected by such enhanced public access;

     (2) assess the maximum use feasible of computer systems, data storage
systems, and retrieval software that are maintained by the departments and
agencies of the Government to enhance access to Federal electronic
information;

     (3) determine the feasibility of providing access to Federal
electronic information through a wide range of electronic networks,
including the Internet and the National Research and Education Network;

     (4) in conjunction with the National Institute of Standards and
Technology and other appropriate persons, study the development of
compatible standards for dissemination throughout the Government;

     (5) specify the development and maintenance costs of the directory and
the system of access provided for under chapter 41 of title 44, United
States Code;

     (6) analyze the cost savings to be derived from the directory and the
system of access; and

     (7) obtain an independent evaluation from the Comptroller General of
the utility and efficiency of the directory and the system of access.

     (b) REPORT.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Superintendent of Documents shall submit a report of the
study to the Congress.  The report shall include, as a separate part, the
evaluation referred to in subsection (a)(7).

     (c) DEFINITION.--As used in this section, the term "Federal electronic
information" means Federal public information stored electronically.

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                   SENATE PASSES LIBRARY PROGRAM FUNDING

The Senate passed HR 5677, the FY 93 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations
Bill, on September 18 by a vote of 82-13.  Amounts for library and related
programs are unchanged from levels reported in the September 11 issue.  In
earlier debate on the bill, the Harkin transfer amendment was rejected on a
procedural vote of 36-62 on September 16.  The amendment offered by L-HHS-
ED Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA), would have
transferred $4.1 billion in unobligated Department of Defense funds to
several underfunded domestic programs, including Head Start, certain
education programs, and public library services ($50 million above levels
in HR 5677 for the Library Services and Construction Act).  HR 5677 now
moves to a House-Senate Conference Committee to resolve differences between
the two versions.

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