View the H-Diplo Discussion Logs by month
View the Prior Message in H-Diplo's October 2003 logs by: [date] [author] [thread] View the Next Message in H-Diplo's October 2003 logs by: [date] [author] [thread] Visit the H-Diplo home page.
NCH WASHINGTON UPDATE (Vol. 9, #40; 16 October 2003) by Bruce Craig (editor) <rbcraig@historycoalition.org National Coalition for History (NCH) Website http://www2.h-net.msu.edu/~nch ***************** 1. Historians, Archivists, and Librarians Join Hands To Advocate for FY-2004 National Archives Budget 2. Fighting the Civil War -- Yet Again 3. Legislative Update: Bills Passed; Hearings Held; Bills Introduced 4. Bits and Bytes: Correction -- MacArthur Fellows; NARA Announces Temporary Closing; Energy Task Force Records Dispute -- An Update; Web Site of Interest 5. Articles of Interest: "It's a Grim Picture for Museum Lovers As Entry Fees Climb" (Los Angeles Times; 12 October 2003) 1. HISTORIANS, ARCHIVISTS, AND LIBRARIANS JOIN HANDS TO ADVOCATE FOR FY-2004 NATIONAL ARCHIVES BUDGET On 14 October 2003, representatives of prominent history, archives, and library organizations met with congressional staff in over a dozen offices to advocate for restoration of funding for the Electronic Records Archives (ERA) initiative and for full-funding for the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). The event, coordinated by the National Coalition for History, put vital information regarding the threatened programs into the hands of key staff responsible for formulating and deciding the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) budget for FY 2004. Representatives of the American Library Association, American Association of Law Libraries, American Association for State and Local History, Association for Documentary Editing, American Historical Association, Consortium of Social Science Associations, Midwest Archives Conference, National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators, Society of American Archivists were among several groups that met with Hill staff and emphasized the importance of the $35.9 million ERA program (the amount recommended in the president's budget and concurred by the House) that the Senate zeroed out entirely to provide an offset to assist in the AMTRAK funding plight. Advocates called on both House and Senate members of Congress to restore the ERA at the level recommended in the president's budget. Advocates also provided background information to staff on the NHPRC, which is slotted to receive "full-funding" in the House ($10 million), but only half that much -- $5 million, the president's request -- in the Senate. Charlene Bickford, who represented the Association for Documentary Editing, participated in a number of the meetings. According to Bickford, "It was an excellent experience in terms of our ability to educate people on what the NHPRC and the Electronic Records Archives is all about. I was gratified that the people we met with were really interested in the issues we presented." Decisions regarding the FY 2004 funding levels for NARA will be made when House and Senate conferees meet later this fall to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions of the NARA budget. Because of the projected massive federal deficit owing largely to the costs associated with the war in Iraq, House and Senate conferees will be forced to make hard decisions. Nevertheless, Hill insiders remain optimistic that some if not all of the ERA funding will be restored and that the NHPRC will be funded at a level higher than it received last year ($6.43 million). 2. FIGHTING THE CIVIL WAR -- YET AGAIN George Ewert, the director of the Museum of Mobile, Alabama, found himself in hot water after writing a critical review of the film "Gods and Generals," which was published in the Southern Poverty Laws Center's Quarterly. His review echoed the criticism that others have made of the film. But the Lee-Moses-Dixon Vindicator Camp #408 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) took exception to the review, wrote to the city council and mayor, and made an impassioned appeal to the city's governing authority demanding the director's dismissal. Apparently, the real issue focuses on the museum's Civil War exhibit. The veteran group wants to see the exhibit overhauled to de-emphasize the origins of the war (slavery) and refocus it on "southern virtue" -- aspects of the overhaul opposed by Ewert. In response to the move to oust the director, the director's supporters launched a letter-writing campaign which included several prominent local and regional Civil War historians. One letter to the city council stated, "the proposed changes in that part of the museum [advanced by the SCV]...[and] criticisms of Ewert's review...have no support among serious scholars... [Supporters of the move to oust Ewert] are propagandists for a long discredited myth, and should not be allowed to dictate policy." At this writing Ewert's supporters appear to have carried the day and the director's position appears safe. 3. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: BILLS PASSED; HEARINGS CONDUCTED; LEGISLATION INTRODUCED Bills Passed: On 15 October 2003, the House of Representatives unanimously approved legislation (H.R. 1442; H. Rept. 108-295) sponsored by Representative Richard W. Pombo (R-CA), and co-sponsored by 85 of his colleagues, that authorizes the design and construction of a visitor's center for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. The center would serve as a focal point to educate visitors and honor the memory of Vietnam veterans. The legislation authorizes a non-profit group to raise the funds and specifically states that no federal funds may be used to pay for "any expense relating to the establishment of the center." Cost estimates for construction range in from $10 to $12 million. The National Park Service has expressed concerns that the design could prove to be a visible intrusion on the grounds of Constitutional Gardens. Hearings Conducted: On 16 October 2003, the House National Parks, Recreation, and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Resources Committee conducted a legislative hearing on a number of pending bills designed to establish several new national heritage areas. Testimony was received from members of Congress and the public regarding potential establishment of the National Aviation Heritage Area (H.R. 280), the Oil Region National Heritage Area (H.R. 1862), and the proposal to establish the Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area (H.R. 1798). Legislation Introduced: On 1 October 2003, Representative George Radanovich (R-CA) introduced legislation (H.R. 3223) to amend the National Historic Preservation Act in order to reauthorize and improve the operations of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Among other provisions, the bill seeks to add additional members to the Advisory Council (including a governor member), increase the number of representatives needed to constitute a quorum, and grant the council a new authority to "solicit" donations. A separate section in the legislation is designed to improve the effectiveness of the grant assistance program. The bill was referred to the House Resources Committee for consideration. 4. BITS AND BYTES Item #1-- Correction: MacArthur Fellows: An inadvertent omission in last week's posting about the MacArthur fellows....In addition to University of Georgia Associate Professor of History, Eve Troutt Powell, another historian and Associate Professor, Anders Winroth of Yale University was named a MacArthur Fellow. Winroth research traces the development of medieval canon law. The fellowships, commonly referred to as "genius awards," seek to recognize creativity and encourage talented individuals of all educational backgrounds and professions to pursue their own intellectual and professional inclinations. The award are made by the board of directors of the Chicago based John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Item #2 -- NARA Announces Temporary Closing Researchers planning on using the National Archives (NARA) Washington, DC, research rooms please take note -- the research rooms in the main archives building in Washington, DC, will be closed for renovation from October 13 through October 26 to allow staff to prepare for the brand new National Archives Building Research Center scheduled to open on 27 October 2003. The new National Archives Building Research Center will include more records, finding aids, and staff assistance, as well as more amenities for researchers and visitors. A number of research services formerly housed on upper floors of the sixty-eight-year-old building, along with some new services, will be included in the new ground-floor National Archives Building Research Center. The new location of the Research Center will allow researchers to do much of their work on a single level rather than multiple floors of the building. NARA regrets any inconvenience this temporary closing may cause researchers. Item # 3 -- Energy Task Force Records Dispute -- An Update: It has been some time since we reported on the status of the ongoing effort by Judicial Watch and the Sierra Club to gain access to the disputed records relating to Vice-President Dick Cheney's meetings with non-governmental advisors in the course of drafting the 2001 Energy Task Force report. The case concerns the parameters of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, a long-standing open government statute. The latest development is that on 30 September 2003, the Bush Administration asked the Supreme Court to intervene. The government is claiming that applying the Advisory Committee Act to the Energy Task Force is an intolerable intrusion on executive branch procedure, and "would open the way for judicial supervision of internal Executive Branch deliberations." Thanks to the Federation of American Scientists, the government's petition to the Supreme Court is posted at: <http://www.fas.org/sgp/jud/cheney0903.pdf>. Item # 4 -- Web Site of Interest: The History Section of the American Library Association has designed a new web site helps students locate and evaluate primary sources on the web. The site includes practical information for students as well as links to many primary source sites. For the "Using Primary Sources on the Web" tap into: <http://www.lib.washington.edu/subject/History/RUSA/>. 5. ARTICLES OF INTEREST One posting this week: In "It's a Grim Picture for Museum Lovers As Entry Fees Climb" (Los Angeles Times; 12 October 2003) reporter Jane Engle summarizes findings by the American Association of Museums that show that with museum costs skyrocketing, and sources of support declining, "many of America's estimated 16,000 art, history and other museums....have raised entrance fees -- perhaps by 50% or more on average since 1999." For the article tap into: <http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-insider12oct12,1,6881219.column?coll=la-headlines-travel-manu al>. *********************************************************** The National Coalition for History invites you to subscribe to this FREE weekly newsletter! You are also encouraged to redistribute the NCH Washington Updates to colleagues, friends, teachers, students and others who are interested in history and archives issues. A complete backfile of these reports is maintained by H-Net on the NCH's recently updated web page at: <http://www2.h-net.msu.edu/~nch>. To subscribe to the "NCH Washington Update," send an e-mail message to listserv@h-net.msu.edu according to the following model: SUBSCRIBE H-NCH firstname lastname, institution. To unsubscribe send an e-mail message to: listserv@h-net.msu.edu according to the following model: SIGNOFF H-NCH. You can accomplish the same tasks by tapping into the web interface at http://www2.h-net.msu.edu/lists/subscribe.cgi and at the "network" prompt, scroll down and select H-NCH; enter your name and affiliation and "submit". **************************************************************
|