First, I want to thank everyone who responded to our pleas for help recently. Although we still have a lot of work to do to convince Congress of the importance of the talking book program, the calls, faxes, and emails have apparently had some affect on attitudes. Yesterday, the House Appropriations Committee marked up its bill to authorize funds for the Legislative Branch, which includes the Library of Congress, and thus, the NLS. You may remember, that last week, a subcommittee recommended a $7.5 million appropriation for NLS. During yesterday's proceeding, Rep. Jack Kingston (r-GA) offered an amendment to increase the appropriation to the full $19.1 million requested by NLS. He suggested moving some money from a project that will renovate an office building on Capitol Hill so it can be used for Congressional office space while other office buildings are being renovated. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (d-FL) offered a substitute amendment to add $5 million to the $7.5 million approved by her subcommittee last week, taking the extra funds from the Government Printing Office appropriation. On a party line vote, the Wasserman Schultz amendment was adopted. The result was that the recommended appropriation for NLS that will go to the House floor later this year is $12.5 million for the first year of the digital talking book program.
This is progress, but, as you might expect, there is still concern over whether it will be enough to meet the program's needs. Fortunately, we have additional opportunities to persuade other members of the literacy needs of our community, both in the House and the Senate. That means you can still influence the end result of this process. If your member of the House is not on the Appropriations Committee, he or she will vote on the committee's recommendations shortly. Members of the Senate have not begun their consideration of Appropriations yet. Please let them hear from you.
Thanks very much.
Melanie Brunson, Executive Director
American Council of the Blind