Washington DC News
This page features the weekly newsletters of the National Coalition for History, which are produced by Lee White.
The National Coalition for History is a non-profit educational organization that provides leadership in history-related advocacy; it serves as the profession's national voice in the promotion of history and archives, and acts as a clearinghouse of news and information of interest to history-related professionals. Click here for details.
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Friday, April 27, 2007
April Headlines
Source: National Coalition for History (4-1-07)
Monday, April 23, 2007
NCH NEW WEBSITE AND WASHINGTON UPDATE
Today I am happy to announce the launching of National Coalition for History's (NCH) new website at www.historycoalition.org
The new website allows us to bring you real-time access to news as it is made in Washington through our new blog postings on the website and an RSS feed. The website also contains up-to-date issue briefs, and links to Congress, federal agencies and NCH member organizations. In addition, you are now able to access our CapWiz electronic congressional grassroots system through the website. As always, we will continue to e-mail our NCH Washington Update on Fridays.
NCH would like to express our appreciation to The History Channel and Chief Historian Dr. Libby O'Connell for their sponsorship of the site. The website was designed, and is being maintained, by the Center for History and New Media (CHNM) at George Mason University. I would like to thank Dr. Roy Rosenzweig, Dr. Tom Scheinfeldt, and our web designer Laura Veprek for their hard work in launching the new website. Finally, I would like to thank Dr. Peter Knupfer and H-NET, hosts of the original NCH website, for their years of support.
Here is a summary of the new NCH Website and Washington Update:
1. NCH and the weekly Washington Update are not going away. We are moving to a new home at www.historycoalition.org
2. CURRENT SUBSCRIBERS The subscriber list that has been maintained by H-NET will be transferred to the new site and you should not see an interruption in service.
3. SPAM FILTERS: Since the NCH Washington Update is being sent from a new e-mail address; initially it may be tagged by your Internet Service Provider or security system as SPAM. During the first weeks after the transition, if you do not receive the NCH Washington Update on Friday, you should check your spam inbox since it may incorrectly being diverted there. You can prevent this by adding: newsletter@historycoalition.org to your browser's "safe list."
4. Both new and current subscribers WILL need to go to the new website to sign-up to receive the RSS feed. To sign up, go to: http://feeds.feedburner.com/
If you are new to RSS feeds, here is a tutorial that will help you take advantage of this exciting technology: http://www.feedburner.com
5. NEW SUBSCRIBERS: A large number of readers receive the NCH Washington Update when it is forwarded from a colleague. We suggest that you consider subscribing yourself. The newsletter is free and your e-mail address will not be shared with anyone. To subscribe, go to http://historycoalition.org/subscribe
6. If you have any questions or problems receiving the newsletter, go to the website and click on the "contact button" at http://historycoalition.org/contact
Friday, April 20, 2007
NCH WASHINGTON UPDATE (Vol. 13, #13; April 20, 2007)
LOOK FOR AN ALERT ON MONDAY, APRIL 23rd ANNOUNCING THE LAUNCH OF THE NEW NCH WEBSITE AND WASHINGTON UPDATE!!
1. TELL CONGRESS TO SAVE THE NHPRC!
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC)--the grant-making arm of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)--is targeted in the President's proposed FY 2008 budget for zero funding for grants and zero funding for staff to administer the agency and its programs. For FY 2008, the National Coalition for History supports full funding for national grants at $10 million plus an additional $2 million for staffing and other administrative costs. Now is the critical time to contact Congress and make your voice heard on saving the NHPRC!
The newly created House and Senate Financial Services and General Government appropriations subcommittees have jurisdiction over the NARA appropriation, including the NHPRC. These subcommittees currently are drafting appropriations bills for the programs under their jurisdiction.
If you support funding for the NHPRC grants program, please contact your Congressional representatives now, especially if they are members of the House and Senate subcommittees on Financial Services and General Government.
The two subcommittees can be accessed at: http://appropriations.house.gov and http://appropriations.senate.gov/
To contact your Members of Congress about funding for the NHPRC grants program, go to the Humanities Advocacy Network at http://www.humanitiesadvocacy.org
The website allows you to send a pre-written electronic letter to your Member of Congress or to edit the letter to include your own story and express your own views.
You can also fax letters or call your Congressional representatives and senators asking them to support $10 million for the grant-making arm of the NHPRC, and an additional $2 million for staffing. All Members of Congress can be reached through the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121. In addition, most Members of Congress list their fax number on their website. Find your representative at http://www.house.gov/ and your senator at: http://www.senate.gov/
If you can, give specific examples of NHPRC funded projects in your congressional district or State. For more information about lists of grants made in your state, visit the National Historical Publications and Records Commission grants program website at: http://www.archives.gov/
The NHPRC is the only grant making organization, public or private, whose mission is to provide national leadership in the effort to promote the preservation and accessibility of historical records and to publish the papers of significant figures and themes in American history.
If Congress allows the NHPRC to be zeroed out of the federal budget, this important program, which has played an essential federal leadership role and has an outstanding success record of using a small amount of federal funds to leverage other contributions, would come to an end. This would be devastating to projects such as editing and publishing the papers of nationally significant individuals and institutions; the development of new archival programs; the promotion of the preservation and use of historical records; regional and national coordination in addressing major archival issues; and a wide range of other activities relating to America's documentary heritage.
Please take a minute to contact the members of these key subcommittees or your Members of Congress and let them know how vital the NHPRC is to the historical and archival communities. Without your help today, the NHPRC may be eliminated!
2. SUPPORT INCREASED FUNDING FOR THE NEH
The Co-Chairs of the Congressional Humanities Caucus, Rep. David Price (D-NC) and Rep. Phil English (R-PA), have prepared a "Dear Colleague" letter, which is currently circulating in the House of Representatives, in support of a $36 million increase for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in FY 2008. The deadline for signing on to this letter is Tuesday, April 24. You can view the text of the letter at http://www.nhalliance.org.
This increase would return funding for the agency to its 1994 nominal level and signal that the Congress is ready to make a significant new investment in the nation's education and research infrastructure through the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Please call, email, or fax your Representative and ask him/her to sign on to this letter today. The easiest way to show your support is through the Humanities Advocacy Network. The website allows you to send a pre-written electronic letter to your Member of Congress or to edit the letter to include your own story and express your own views.
A large number of signatures on the "Dear Colleague letter," particularly if they represent both sides of the aisle, will send a very important message to the leadership of the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee http://appropriations.house.gov as they begin to work on the mark-up of the FY 2008 spending bill for NEH. All members of Congress can be reached by phone through the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.
Friday, April 13, 2007
NCH WASHINGTON UPDATE (Vol. 13, #12; April 13, 2007
1. POLITICAL FIRESTORM ERUPTS OVER MISSING WHITE HOUSE E-MAILS
2. SENATE RULES COMMITTEE HOLDS OVERSIGHT HEARING ON SMITHSONIAN
3. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REFORM BILL CLEARS SENATE PANEL
4. BITS & BYTES: The National History Center continues its Congressional
Briefings Series
1. POLITICAL FIRESTORM ERUPTS OVER MISSING WHITE HOUSE E-MAILS
It was revealed this week that some 22 current Bush administration officials have separate White House and Republican National Committee (RNC) e-mail accounts that were designed to ensure that White House staff did not use government equipment for political purposes in violation of the Hatch Act. However, it is being alleged by congressional Democrats that these political e-mail accounts were improperly used to engage in official government business without leaving an electronic trail behind in an attempt to circumvent the Presidential Records Act. Of particular interest are e-mails sent through these non-governmental accounts concerning the firing of eight U.S. attorneys that is currently under scrutiny by Congress.
The Democrats are particularly concerned that senior White House advisor Karl Rove had the ability, prior to 2005, to delete his e-mails from the RNC server. On Friday, Rove’s attorney Robert Luskin denied that Rove intentionally sought to delete e-mails from the RNC computer system. RNC officials have said that they do not know to what extent e-mails prior to 2005 are retrievable. The RNC instituted new policies after 2005 to prevent such deletions.
On April 12, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) met with Rob Kelner, an attorney for the RNC. Following the briefing, the committee issued a statement that the meeting raised “serious concerns about the White House compliance with the Presidential Records Act.” Representative Waxman had previously sent a letter to RNC Chair Mark Duncan asking, “What agreements, if any, has the RNC entered into with the White House, the National Archives, or other government agencies regarding the e-mail accounts maintained by the RNC that have been used by White House officials?”
Senator Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) stated, “You can't erase e-mails, not today. These e-mails have gone through too many servers. They can't say they have been lost. That is akin to saying the dog ate my homework. It doesn't work that way. Those e-mails are there, the White House just doesn't want to produce them. It is similar to the famous 18-minute gap in the Nixon White House tapes.”
In a press briefing, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said that she had no indication that any laws had been broken. Later in the briefing she stated “Well, I will admit it, we screwed up and we are trying to fix it.” When asked if President Bush had an RNC e-mail account, she responded, “I don’t think so, no. The President says he doesn’t e-mail.”
Leahy and Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Arlen Specter (R-PA) sent a letter to White House counsel Fred Fielding asking what was being done to investigate and remedy the situation. Leahy and Specter specifically cited an anonymous press statement given by a White House lawyer who advised White House staff that if they have a doubt whether an e-mail is political or official that they should use their political account, but also preserve a copy and send it to the counsel’s office for a determination whether the e-mail needs to be saved under the Presidential Records Act. The two Senators asked whether the policy is to apply prospectively or whether staff is now being instructed to forward past e-mails for review.
The Senate and House Judiciary Committees have authorized subpoenas to the Justice Department and the White House for documents related to the firings of the eight U.S. attorneys. However, the subpoenas have not yet been served.
2. SENATE RULES COMMITTEE HOLDS OVERSIGHT HEARING ON THE SMITHSONIAN
Despite the departure of controversial Secretary Lawrence Small, the Smithsonian Institution continues to take a beating on Capitol Hill.
The Senate Rules Committee held an oversight hearing this week on the Smithsonian. In her opening statement Rules Committee Chairwoman Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) sharply criticized the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents for their lack of meaningful oversight over the Institution’s operations. Feinstein stated that, “While the Board is well meaning and dedicated, I’m not convinced the current structure has the capacity to perform the fiduciary responsibility required.”
Smithsonian Inspector General Anne Sprightley Ryan stated that her investigation of Secretary Small’s business expenses, led her to “question whether the Regents had adequate information for meaningful oversight.” She cited examples of the lack of clear rules and policies on Small’s expenditures as examples of how dysfunctional the Institution had become. Ryan stated, “We also encountered an attitude that any rules that did exist did not necessarily apply to the Secretary . . .” She did note that in light of the controversy over Small’s expenses that, “the Regents have recently taken significant steps to enhance their oversight and promote accountability and transparency.”
Full video coverage, and written testimony from the hearing, is available here.
3. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REFORM BILL CLEARS SENATE PANEL
The Senate Judiciary Committee this week cleared a Freedom of Information reform bill (S. 849) by voice vote. The bill is similar to one overwhelmingly passed in March by the House of Representatives (H.R. 1309)
S. 849 strengthens the requirement that agencies respond to FOIA requests within 20 days. The bill requires agencies to provide requesters with individualized tracking numbers for each request and access to a telephone or Internet hotline with information about the status of requests. The legislation also strengthens agency reporting requirements to identify excessive delays and creates a new FOIA ombudsman to help FOIA requesters resolve problems without having to resort to litigation.
A similar bill passed the Judiciary Committee during the 109th Congress, but was not acted on by the full Senate.
4. BITS & BYTES
The National History Center continues its Congressional Briefings Series with its "Historical Perspectives on Climate Change", 2:00 p.m.––4:00 p.m. Friday, April 27, 2007, in Room 385 of the Russell Senate Office Building, in Washington, DC.
The briefing features Professor James Rodger Fleming, Professor of Science, Technology and Society at Colby College, Maine. He currently holds the Roger Revelle Fellowship in Global Environmental Stewardship from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and is a Public Policy Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars where he is completing a book on "Weather and Climate Engineers: Fantasies of Control."
Professor Fleming earned a B.S. in astronomy from Pennsylvania State University, an M.S. in atmospheric science from Colorado State University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in history from Princeton University. His books include Meteorology in America, 1800––1870, Historical Perspectives on Climate Change, and The Callendar Effect: The Life and Work of Guy Stewart Callendar.
This briefing is co-sponsored by the History of Science Society.
The National History Center's Congressional Briefings are designed to provide historical context and perspective on current issues for policy makers and members of their staff. The speakers reflect upon historical events and developments that influence the evolution of current policies and provide knowledge pertinent to the consideration of policy alternatives.
A question and answers session will follow the presentation. If you are interested in attending this briefing, please r.s.v.p. to info@nationalhistorycenter.org or 202-544-2422 ext. 103.
Friday, April 6, 2007
NCH WASHINGTON UPDATE (Vol. 13, #11; April 6, 2007)
NOTE: The NCH Washington Update will be not published next week due to out-of-town travel by the editor. The next edition will be issued the week of April 16.
1. KEY HISTORY POSITIONS AT NATIONAL PARK SERVICE REMAIN UNFILLED
2. NHA 2007 CONFERENCE & HUMANITIES ADVOCACY DAY A SUCCESS
3. HUMANITIES ADVOCATES GATHER AT CAPITOL HILL RECEPTION & EXHIBITS
4. NEH AWARDS FIRST DIGITAL HUMANITIES START-UP GRANTS
5. NAZI AND JAPANESE WAR CRIMES DECLASSIFICATION PROJECT CONCLUDES
6. NEH TO HOST SUMMIT OF DIGITAL HUMANITIES CENTERS
7. “WOMEN IN CONGRESS 1917--2006" PUBLISHED
8. BITS & BYTES–Library of Congress Acquires Caspar Weinberger Papers
9. ARTICLES OF INTEREST: See four articles below.
1. KEY HISTORY POSITIONS AT NATIONAL PARK SERVICE REMAIN UNFILLED
During a session at the Organization of American Historians (OAH) annual meeting last week, it was revealed that both the Chief Historian and Bureau Historian positions at the National Park Service (NPS) remain vacant, with no clear date set for when they will be filled. Dr. Martin Perschler, Acting Manager of the Park History Program at the NPS, provided this update to the OAH Committee on National Park Service Issues. The application period for the Chief Historian position had closed on February 3, however it was reopened with a new closing date of April 3. No reason was given for re-posting the position. Those who applied in the first round remain eligible for consideration. Approximately 45 people applied for the position.
The failure to fill the Chief Historian slot in a timely manner has also impacted the vacant Bureau Historian position. Since the Bureau Historian works closely with the Chief Historian, it is felt by NPS officials that the new Chief Historian should have the prerogative of filling this key position.
2. NHA 2007 CONFERENCE & HUMANITIES ADVOCACY DAY A SUCCESS (Report from Erin Smith of NHA)
The National Humanities Alliance’s (NHA) 2007 Conference was held March 26-27 in Washington, DC. The event began in the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center with a policy forum and roundtable discussion featuring federal agency representatives. Topics included: capacity building and infrastructure support, fellowships and resources for scholars, public programs, collaborative research, preservation, education, international education and cultural exchange, and the humanities and technology.
Dr. Bruce Cole, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, addressed the attendees, discussing new initiatives, and answering questions from participants. The morning session concluded with the National Humanities Alliance’s annual business meeting for member representatives.
At a luncheon sponsored by The Phi Beta Kappa Society, Dr. Allen Weinstein, Archivist of the United States, delivered a keynote address to 150 participants. Dr. Weinstein expressed admiration for the work of humanities advocates and answered questions from the audience.
At the conclusion of the afternoon’s legislative briefing and advocacy training, attendees enjoyed a cocktail hour sponsored by The History Channel. Attendees heard remarks from Dr. Libby O’Connell, Chief Historian of the History Channel, and Senior Vice President, Corporate Outreach, A&E Television Networks.
On Tuesday, March 27, 112 humanities advocates visited more than 150 House and Senate offices representing 26 states and the District of Columbia. These grassroots advocates distributed issue briefs and state grant data, and asked members of Congress to support increased funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities and National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
The Humanities Advocacy Day 2007 Source Book is online at http://www.nhalliance.org/conference/2007/sourcebook/
Here you will find historical funding data, recent grants by state, and issue briefs prepared by the National Humanities Alliance.
3. HUMANITIES ADVOCATES GATHER AT CAPITOL HILL RECEPTION & EXHIBITS (Report from Erin Smith of NHA)
On the morning of March 27, more than 100 humanities supporters gathered in the Rayburn House Office Building to enjoy humanities exhibits and listen to remarks from National Endowment for the Humanities Chairman Bruce Cole, and new Congressional Humanities Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Phil English (R-PA).
This year’s Capitol Hill event was co-sponsored by The History Channel, and its Chief Historian Dr. Libby O’Connell provided brief remarks to attendees before they began their Congressional visits.
The projects showcased the breadth of humanities projects receiving federal funding from agencies such as the National Endowment for the Humanities, National Historical Publications and Records Commission, National Science Foundation, and National Endowment for the Arts. The presentations included:
American Anthropological Association- RACE Project Association of American University Presses- NEH Bookshelf Community College Humanities Association- Landmarks Workshops in American History and Culture Michigan State University- Symposium on Science, Reason and Modern Democracy Rutgers University Libraries, Newark- The Institute of Jazz Studies Society of Biblical Literature- Publishing in the Humanities University of California, Santa Barbara- Pepys Ballad Archive University of California, Santa Cruz- NEH Summer Institute and Seminar University of Tennessee- Marco Institute of Medieval and Renaissance Studies University of Virginia Press- “The Papers of George Washington”
Photographs from all of the events of March 26-27 are available online at: http://www.nhalliance.org/
4. NEH AWARDS FIRST DIGITAL HUMANITIES START-UP GRANTS
At the NHA conference, National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Chairman Bruce Cole announced the first Digital Humanities Start-Up Grants. Chairman Cole said that these new projects are designed to explore and develop innovative uses of technology in humanities education, scholarship, and public programming. Sixteen projects will receive a total of $478,565 in this program, which is one part of NEH's Digital Humanities Initiative. A full list of the award recipients is available at :
5. NAZI AND JAPANESE WAR CRIMES DECLASSIFICATION PROJECT CONCLUDES
The Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial Government Records Interagency Working Group (IWG), the group tasked with locating, declassifying, and making publicly available U.S. records of Nazi and Japanese war crimes, concluded its work on March 31, 2007.
The IWG was formed under the Nazi War Crimes Disclosure Act of 1998 and the Japanese Imperial Government Disclosure Act of 2000. Its membership consists of representatives of seven Executive Branch agencies and three Presidentially appointed public members. The IWG was extended twice, most recently in March 2005, to complete the largest ever congressionally mandated single-subject declassification effort.
The group’s Final Report to Congress will be issued in mid-April. It will describe the history of the legislation that brought about the declassification effort; agencies’ implementation of the act; the declassification results; and recommendations for future declassification policies.
The seven-year, roughly $30 million declassification effort, resulted in the opening of more than 8 million pages of U.S. records—not all of them directly linked to war crimes. Notably, the records include the entirety of the operational files of the Office of Strategic Services (the predecessor agency of the CIA), and more than 163,000 pages of CIA materials of a type never before opened to the public.
The declassified records also included more than 435,000 pages of FBI files, 20,000 pages from Army Counterintelligence Corps files, 100,000 pages related to Japanese War crimes, and 6 million additional pages of records.
6. NEH TO HOST SUMMIT OF DIGITAL HUMANITIES CENTERS
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Maryland Institute for Technology in the Humanities (MITH) at the University of Maryland have announced a summit meeting to plan a national coalition of digital humanities centers.
The meeting will take place at NEH headquarters in Washington, D.C., on April 12-13, 2007. The meeting is part of NEH's Digital Humanities Initiative, which supports projects that use or study the impact of digital technology on the humanities.
The centerpiece of the conference is a day-long discussion of key issues involved in fostering collaboration, developing funding resources, and creating blueprints for future projects. The conference begins at 4:00 p.m. on April 12, with a welcome address by NEH Chairman Bruce Cole. On April 13, the conference attendees will spend the day discussing how to create a framework for a permanent coalition of digital humanities centers. For additional information, go to:
7. “WOMEN IN CONGRESS 1917--2006" PUBLISHED
The Office of History Preservation in the Office of the Clerk of U.S. House of Representatives recently published , “Women in Congress, 1917–2006.” The book is the first in an official four-part series about minorities who have served in Congress. Future volumes will profile African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian-Pacific Islander Americans who have served in Congress. The 229 women profiled range from Jeannette Rankin of Montana—the first woman elected to Congress—to Nancy Pelosi, the first female Speaker of the House. Written as an authoritative resource, and a teaching tool, the hard copy of the book ends just before Speaker Pelosi and the newly-elected women Members of the 110th Congress were sworn in. But an online version (see link below) provides an updated live resource that takes the research project into the future.
http://womenincongress.house.gov/
8. BITS & BYTES–Library of Congress Acquires Caspar Weinberger Papers–The Library of Congress recently formally accepted a donation of the papers of former Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger. Weinberger served for six years in that post under President Ronald Reagan. Weinberger also served stints as Secretary of Health Education of Welfare (1973--1975) and director of the Office of Management and Budget (1972--1973) in the Nixon and Ford Administrations. Sections of the Weinberger Papers were subpoenaed by the special prosecutor during the Iran-Contra investigation.
9. ARTICLES OF INTEREST:
“Author Suggests Alger Hiss Wasn’t a Spy,” reports on a symposium held this week by New York University on the Alger Hiss spy case. Former-NCH director Dr. Bruce Craig was a participant on the panel. ‘Washington Post’ April 6, 2007. http://www.washingtonpost.com
“Stepping Out of the Shadows,” details the efforts by Hiss’s stepson to clear his name. ‘Washington Post’ April 5, 2007. http://www.washingtonpost.com
“Swept Away By History,” details the financial difficulties facing the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond, Virginia. ‘Washington Post' April 4, 2007 http://www.washingtonpost.com
“An Upgrade for Ye Olde History Park,” reviews the challenges faced by Colonial Williamsburg in balancing competing interests in its interpretations of history. ‘New York Times' April 13, 2007 http://www.nytimes.com
Friday, March 23, 2007
NCH WASHINGTON UPDATE (Vol. 13, #10; March 23, 2007)
1. NEH CHAIRMAN COLE TESTIFIES BEFORE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
ON FY '08 BUDGET
2. CHECKING THE "SMALL" PRINT; SMITHSONIAN SECRETARY QUESTIONED ON EXPENSES
3. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS AND NEH LAUNCH DIGITAL NEWSPAPERS SITE
4. NEH NAMES POLITICAL SCIENTIST HARVEY MANSFIELD AS 2007 JEFFERSON LECTURER
5. LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS DETAILS DIGITIZATION EFFORTS
6. ARTICLES OF INTEREST: "History Lessens," New York Times, March 19, 2007
1. NEH CHAIRMAN COLE TESTIFIES BEFORE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON FY '08 BUDGET
On March 20, 2007, Chairman Bruce Cole testified on the proposed fiscal year (FY) 2008 budget for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) before the House Appropriations' Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies.
In his prepared testimony, Dr. Cole said that under the President's FY 2008 request, NEH would receive $141.4 million, a slight increase over the amount it received in FY 2007. The NEH's flagship "We the People" program would be flat funded at $15.2 million. Dr. Cole noted the detrimental impact increased costs for overhead and travel were having on NEH's budget.
Subcommittee Chairman Norm Dicks (D-WA) began the question-and-answer period by asking what NEH could accomplish if it were to receive an increase in base funding. Dr. Cole stated that the current FY '08 budget was lean, but it did allow NEH to fund, "the best of the best." He went on to say that he preferred that the NEH allocate its limited resources to core programs, and to do those programs well. Dr. Cole added that increased funding would allow additional activities under the "We the People" program, the Digital Humanities Initiative, and by State Humanities Councils.
Ranking Minority Member Todd Tiahrt (R-KS) asked whether NEH coordinated with the Library of Congress on its digitization efforts. Dr. Cole highlighted the unveiling this week of the "Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers" web site, an Internet-based, searchable database of U.S. newspapers. (See related story below)
Representative James Moran (D-VA) began his round of questioning by noting that 13 years ago, before the Republican Party took control of the House, the NEH's budget was actually more than it is today. Moran said that if the NEH's funding had kept up with inflation over that time, its budget would be $265 million, not the current $141 million. Moran sharply criticized the Republicans for spreading "disinformation and prejudice against the humanities" during their tenure and said the cuts NEH had endured over that time "were an embarrassment to our nation." Moran complimented Chairman Cole by saying that he did not know how NEH accomplished as much as it did with the limited funds available to it.
When asked by Representative Moran what he would do with $265 million, Dr. Cole, without specifically supporting an increase, deftly responded that all NEH programs could be scaled up if "in its wisdom" Congress were to provide additional funding. Chairman Dicks quipped that the Office of Management and Budget would be happy with Cole's response.
2. CHECKING THE "SMALL" PRINT; SMITHSONIAN SECRETARY QUESTIONED ON EXPENSES
In a front page story this week, the "Washington Post" continued its expose on questionable expenses incurred by Smithsonian Secretary Lawrence Small. But perhaps most damaging to Small was an allegation made to the Post by the former Smithsonian inspector general Debra S. Ritt. She alleged that Small tried to steer her audit of Smithsonian financial dealings away from his own compensation, and the controversial Smithsonian Business Ventures operation, towards construction programs. The Post detailed lavish expenditures such as a $13,000 conference table, two $2,000 chairs, and $31,000 for upholstery during renovations of Small's office at the Smithsonian. Small also received over $1 million in reimbursement over a six-year period for use of his home for Smithsonian-related activities.
The "Washington Post" articles can be accessed at:
The Smithsonian Board of Regents this week announced the appointment of an Independent Review Committee to reevaluate the Smithsonian Inspector General's audit of Secretary Small's compensation and expenses. The Review Committee is to report back to the Regents within 60 days.
On Capitol Hill, the response to the revelations in the "Washington Post" articles prompted outrage and swift action. On March 22, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved an amendment to its budget resolution freezing the proposed $17 million increase in federal funding that the Smithsonian was slated to receive in fiscal year 2008. Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) introduced the amendment which ties the release of the funds to a series of operational changes at the Smithsonian. First, no employee of the Smithsonian can be compensated more than the $400,000 salary paid to the President of the United States. Currently, Secretary Small's annual compensation is over $900,000, or a half-million dollars more than the president makes. The other requirements are that the Smithsonian follow the same travel expenditure and ethical guidelines as federal employees, and that spending priority be given to repairing and maintaining Smithsonian facilities.
Secretary Small has been called to testify in both the House and Senate in April, so it remains to be seen whether he will be able to survive this firestorm.
3. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS AND NEH LAUNCH DIGITAL NEWSPAPERS SITE
This week, the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities unveiled their "Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers" joint venture which debuted on-line with more than 226,000 pages of public-domain newspapers from California, Florida, Kentucky, New York, Utah, Virginia and the District of Columbia published between 1900 and 1910. The fully-searchable site is available at www.loc.gov/chroniclingamerica/
"Chronicling America" is produced by the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP), a partnership between the NEH and the Library of Congress created to develop an Internet-based, searchable database of U.S. newspapers with select digitization of historic pages as well as information about newspapers from 1690 to the present. Supported by NEH's "We the People" program and Digital Humanities Initiative, the digital resource will continue to be developed and permanently maintained at the Library of Congress.
Over a period of approximately 20 years, NDNP will create a national, digital resource of historically significant newspapers published between 1836 and 1922 from all U.S. states and territories. Also on the Web site, an accompanying national newspaper directory of bibliographic and holdings information directs users to newspaper titles in all formats. The information in the directory was created through an earlier NEH initiative. The Library of Congress will also digitize and contribute to the NDNP database a significant number of newspaper pages drawn from its own collections during the course of this partnership. For the initial launch the Library of Congress contributed more than 90,000 pages from 14 different newspaper titles published in the District of Columbia between 1900 and 1910.
4. NEH NAMES POLITICAL SCIENTIST HARVEY MANSFIELD 2007 JEFFERSON LECTURER
Political scientist Harvey Mansfield will deliver the 2007 Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) announced this week. The annual NEH-sponsored Jefferson Lecture is considered the most prestigious honor the federal government bestows for distinguished intellectual achievement in the humanities.
"With a distinguished career of thoughtful, and thought-provoking, discourse on political theory and higher education, Harvey Mansfield has captivated his readers and students with the strength of his convictions and the depth of his courage," said NEH Chairman Bruce Cole when announcing the selection. "This prolific author and engaging teacher offers a truly distinctive perspective on political thought and practice."
Mansfield, the William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of Government at Harvard, will present the 36th Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities on Tuesday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m. at the Warner Theater in Washington, D.C., on "How to Understand Politics: What the Humanities Can Say to Science." Attendance at the lecture is by invitation and free. Those interested in receiving an invitation should call (202) 606-8400 or send an e-mail message to info@neh.gov
5. LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS DETAILS DIGITIZATION EFFORTS
On March 22, Librarian of Congress James H. Billington testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Legislative Branch regarding how the Library is transforming itself to accommodate the digital age. The Librarian's full testimony is available at www.loc.gov/about/welcome/speeches/digital/digitalage.html
Dr. Billington emphasized that digital materials, contrary to some assumptions, are less stable than analog materials, because digital content is easily altered, corrupted, or even lost. He noted that the average Web site's life span is between 44 and 75 days. He used as an example important materials relating to Hurricane Katrina that were used by Congress, which are no longer available on-line.
According to Dr. Billington, the Library of Congress has been preparing for the digital age since the 1960s, when it used early technology to create and share bibliographic information in electronic form. In 2000, Congress asked the Library to lead a national strategic program to collect and preserve the burgeoning amounts of digital content. The National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program www.digitalpreservation.gov is building a nationwide network of partners to select and preserve critical materials at risk of loss if they are not saved now. Dr. Billington expressed hope that Congress would continue to support the program.
6. ARTICLES OF INTEREST: "History Lessens," 'New York Times' March 19, 2007. An op-ed by historian Dr. David Kahn in support of increased funding for the National Archives.
Friday, March 16, 2007
NCH WASHINGTON UPDATE (Vol. 13, #9; March 16, 2007)
1. HOUSE OVERWHELMINGLY PASSES PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS ACT REFORM BILL
2. FOIA REFORM BILL PASSED BY THE HOUSE
3. PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY FUNDING DISCLOSURE BILL PASSES HOUSE
4. ARCHIVIST TESTIFIES BEFORE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON FY ‘08
NARA BUDGET
5. OLIVER NORTH vs. THE SMITHSONIAN–ROUND II
6. BITS & BYTES: National Park Service Personnel Appointments
7. ARTICLES OF INTEREST: Two "Washington Post" editorials on March 12,
2007, endorsing H.R. 1255, the “Presidential Records Act Amendments of
2007,” and H.R. 1254, the “Presidential Donation Reform Act of 2007.”
Anyone who wondered if a Democratically-controlled Congress would make a difference for historians, archivists, and journalists need look no further than what transpired in the House of Representatives on March 14, 2007. On that day three bills mandating increased public disclosure by the federal government all passed the House by substantial margins.
1. HOUSE OVERWHELMINGLY PASSES PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS ACT REFORM BILL
The most important House action for the historical and archival communities was the passage of H.R. 1255, the “Presidential Records Act Amendments of 2007.” The National Coalition for History (NCH) issued a legislative alert to the historical and archival communities that generated nearly 1,700 letters to the House in support of the bill. I would like to thank everyone who responded to the alert!
H.R. 1255 passed the House on March 14, 2007, by a vote of 333-93. It is key to note that 104 Republicans voted for the bill with 93 opposed. Democrats unanimously supported the bill. This overwhelming level of support may prove to be critical down the road since it is well above the two-thirds total that would be required to override a possible presidential veto. On March 13, 2007, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a Statement of Administration Policy (SAP) threatening a presidential veto should the legislation pass the Congress. The SAP alleges that H.R. 1255 would cause a proliferation of lawsuits from those seeking access to presidential records. OMB also asserted that Congress was encroaching on the constitutionally-based prerogative of executive privilege.
The floor debate, and text of the bill, can be found in the Congressional Record beginning at:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov
To see how your Member of the House voted on the bill, go to:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov
To view a copy of the OMB’s Statement of Administration Policy in opposition to H.R. 1255, go to:
The same day the legislation passed the House, Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced a companion bill (S. 886) in the Senate. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Senator Bingaman’s floor speech on the introduction of the bill can be accessed at:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov
As passed by the House, H.R. 1255 would require the following:
Overturn Bush Executive Order 13233. Under the Presidential Records Act, presidential records are supposed to be released to historians and the public 12 years after the end of a presidential administration. In November 2001, President George W. Bush issued Executive Order 13233, which overturned an executive order issued by President Reagan, and gave current and former presidents and vice presidents broad authority to withhold presidential records or delay their release indefinitely. The "Presidential Records Act Amendments of 2007" would nullify the Bush executive order and establish procedures to ensure the timely release of presidential records.
Establish a Deadline for Review of Records. Under the Bush executive order, the Archivist of the United States must wait for both the current and the relevant former president to approve the release of presidential records, meaning that the review process could continue indefinitely. Under the bill, the current and former president would have a set time period of no longer than 40 business days to raise objections to the release of these records by the archivist.
Limit the Authority of Former Presidents to Withhold Presidential Records. Under the Reagan executive order, a former president could request that the incumbent president assert a claim of executive privilege and thereby stop the release of the records. If the incumbent president decided not to assert executive privilege, however, the records would be released unless the former president could persuade a court to uphold the former president’s assertion of the privilege. The Bush executive order reversed this process and required the incumbent president to sustain the executive privilege claim of the former president unless a person seeking access could persuade a court to reject the claim. In effect, the Bush order gave former presidents virtually unlimited authority to withhold presidential records through assertions of executive privilege. The legislation would restore the Reagan approach, giving the incumbent president the discretion to reject ill-founded assertions of executive privilege by former presidents.
Require the President to Make Privilege Claims Personally. Under the Bush executive order, even designees of a former president could assert privilege claims after the death of the president, in effect making the right to assert executive privilege an asset of the former president’s estate. The bill would make clear that the right to claim executive privilege is personal to current and former presidents and cannot be bequeathed to designees, relatives, or descendants.
Eliminate Executive Privilege Claims for Vice Presidents. In an unprecedented step, the Bush executive order authorized former vice presidents to assert executive privilege claims over vice presidential records. The bill restores the long-standing understanding that the right to assert executive privilege over presidential records is held only by presidents.
The bill would also require the Archivist of the United States to deny access to original presidential records to any designated representative of a former president if the designee had been convicted of a crime relating to the review, retention, removal, or destruction of records of the archives. The amendment was inspired by the well-publicized theft of documents from the National Archives by President Clinton’s former National Security Advisor Samuel R. (Sandy) Berger. On April 1, 2005, Berger pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents.
2. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REFORM BILL PASSED BY THE HOUSE
On March 14, 2007, the House of Representatives, by a vote of 308-117, approved H.R. 1309, the “Freedom of Information Act Amendments of 2007.” This legislation contains numerous provisions that will increase public access to government information by strengthening the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
The same day, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a SAP on H.R. 1309, expressing the Administration’s opposition to the bill.
The floor debate, and text of the bill, can be found in the Congressional Record beginning at:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov
To see how your Member of the House voted on the bill, go to:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov
To view a copy of the OMB’s Statement of Administration Policy in opposition to H.R. 1309, go to:
The bill reaffirms the presumption that records should be released to the public if disclosure is allowable under law and the agency cannot reasonably foresee harm from such a disclosure. This was the standard that was in effect during the Clinton administration. This provision would effectively rescind the “Ashcroft Memorandum” which was issued on October 12, 2001, in response to the 9/11 attacks and restore the “foreseeable harm” standard. The Ashcroft FOIA Memorandum established a “sound legal basis” standard. Under this standard, agencies are required to reach the judgment that their use of a FOIA exemption is on sound footing, both factually and legally, whenever they withhold requested information. This provision was one of the major reasons the Administration opposed the bill.
A copy of the Ashcroft FOIA Memorandum can be accessed at:
The bill also puts teeth into the requirement that agencies respond to FOIA requests within 20 days. H.R. 1309 makes this deadline meaningful by ensuring that the 20-day statutory clock runs immediately upon an agency’s receipt of a request and by imposing consequences on federal agencies for missing the deadline. The bill also requires agencies to provide requesters with individualized tracking numbers for each request and access to a telephone or internet hotline with information about the status of requests.
The bill strengthens agency reporting requirements to identify excessive delays and requires each agency to make the raw data used to compile its annual reports publicly available. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report annually on the Department of Homeland Security’s use of the broad disclosure exemption for “critical infrastructure information.”
H.R. 1309 creates a new FOIA ombudsman to help FOIA requesters resolve problems without having to resort to litigation. The FOIA ombudsman will be located at the National Archives and will help requesters by providing informal guidance and nonbinding opinions regarding rejected or delayed FOIA requests. The FOIA ombudsman will also review agency compliance with FOIA.
H.R. 1309 makes it more feasible for citizen groups to challenge the improper withholding of government information by expanding access to attorneys’ fees for FOIA requesters who successfully challenge an agency’s denial of information. The bill also holds agencies accountable for their decisions by enhancing the authority of the Office of Special Counsel to take disciplinary action against government officials who arbitrarily and capriciously deny disclosure.
The legislation also requires agencies to provide reasons for each redaction in documents that are released in response to a FOIA request.
3. PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY FUNDING DISCLOSURE BILL PASSES HOUSE
On March 14, 2007, the House of Representatives approved H.R. 1254, the “Presidential Donation Reform Act of 2007,” by a vote of 390-34. Unlike the previous two bills, the administration did not express an opinion on this legislation.
The floor debate, and text of the bill, can be found in the Congressional Record beginning at:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov
To see how your Member of the House voted on the bill, go to:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov
Presidential libraries are built using private funds raised by an organization or foundation working on behalf of the president. Under current law, donations for the presidential library can be unlimited in size and are not required to be disclosed. The bill would require that all organizations established for the purpose of raising funds for presidential libraries or their related facilities report on a quarterly basis all contributions of $200 or more.
Organizations that raise funds for presidential libraries typically begin fundraising while the president remains in office. Before the library is turned over to the National Archives, these organizations must raise enough money to build the library and to provide the Archivist with an endowment for the maintenance of the facility. Under the legislation, organizations fundraising for presidential libraries would be required to disclose their donations while the president is in office and during the period before the federal government has taken possession of the library. The bill sets a minimum reporting period of four years after the end of a president’s term.
Under the bill, presidential library fund-raising organizations would be required to disclose to Congress and the Archivist the amount and date of each contribution, the name of the contributor, and if the contributor is an individual, the occupation of the contributor. The National Archives would be required to make the information available to the public through a free, searchable, and downloadable database on the internet.
One of the concerns the bill is designed to remedy is the fact that foreign nationals can make unlimited contributions to a sitting, or former, president’s library foundation. This is in contrast to federal election laws which prohibit contributions by foreign nationals.
4. ARCHIVIST TESTIFIES BEFORE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS ON FY ‘08 NARA BUDGET
On March 15, 2007, Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein testified on the fiscal year (FY) 2008 budget for the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) before the House Appropriations’ Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government.
In his prepared testimony, Dr. Weinstein said that under the President’s FY 2008 request, NARA would receive $312.8 million for operating expenses, an increase of $33.5 million over FY 2007. The Electronic Records Archive (ERA), an initiative to preserve and make accessible electronic records, would be funded at a level of $58 million, or an increase of $12.7 million from the current year.
Dr. Weinstein noted that the administration had requested no funding for the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
He stated that the operating expenses budget also includes $5.5 million in funding for the Richard Nixon Presidential Library, which will become part of NARA’s presidential library system this year. The proposed budget also includes $5.8 million in funding to continue preparations for the George W. Bush Presidential Library.
Dr. Weinstein informed the subcommittee that in order to meet budgetary levels for FY 2007, NARA enacted a hiring freeze that resulted in a loss of seven percent of the agency’s staff. Budget restrictions also forced NARA to curtail research room and public visitation hours. He warned that without the requested additional $21 million in funding for NARA’s base programs that, “we will be forced to expand upon the cost cutting measures already implemented.”
Subcommittee Chairman Jose Serrano (D-NY) began the question-and-answer period by asking if NARA could restore the reductions it had made to the hours of operations of the research rooms if the Archives were to receive the budget it had requested. Dr. Weinstein stated that he had to give a “yes, but” reply. He regretted that NARA been forced to cut down on the hours, but that it would probably take significant multi-year funding increases to allow the Archives to restore the previous hours of operation. He stated that he would supply the subcommittee with a cost estimate of what it would cost to restore the hours.
Both Chairman Serrano and Representative James Moran (D-VA) questioned the Archivist about the elimination of funding for the NHPRC. When asked if he agreed with the zeroing out of NHPRC funding, Dr. Weinstein said that he opposed it. Representative Moran asked how much money should be put back into the program, Dr. Weinstein stated that ideally it would be the fully authorized amount of $10 million, or at least the $7.5 million that the program had received in FY 2007.
A number of subcommittee members raised concerns about last year’s controversy that arose when intelligence agencies within the government sought to reclassify documents that had already been declassified. Dr. Weinstein noted that he had acted swiftly to stop the practice once he had become aware of it. He noted his own personal commitment to making NARA, “an access agency.”
At the end of the hearing, Chairman Serrano expressed concerns that Bush Executive Order 13233 was slowing access for historians to presidential records. The chairman asked the Archivist what NARA’s position was on H.R. 1255, the “Presidential Records Reform Act.” Dr. Weinstein stated that he had given advice, and made his own views on the executive order clear to the Administration. However, he stated he was hesitant to comment publicly on what he had told administration officials in confidence.
5. OLIVER NORTH vs. THE SMITHSONIAN–ROUND II
This week, the Smithsonian Institution and conservative commentator and Fox News personality Oliver North were once again at odds over his use of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center to film a documentary.
North hosts the series “War Stories” on the Fox News Channel and is filming a documentary on the history of nuclear weapons. The show’s producers had requested the opportunity to film North speaking in front of the Enola Gay, the B-29 bomber which dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima in August 1945. The Enola Gay is housed at the Udvar-Hazy Center.
An exclusive deal between the Smithsonian and the Showtime Networks, Inc. allows the joint venture to vet any requests for filming at Smithsonian facilities that go beyond “incidental usage.” The Smithsonian initially denied North’s request which provoked an angry public response by North. Apparently all of the bad publicity caused the Smithsonian to reconsider and they announced in February that North would be allowed to film at the Udvar-Hazy Center after all.
However, this week the Smithsonian sought to limit the use of the material that North would film at the Udvar-Hazy Center and he was denied access to the facility.
In an on-line column, North talked about filming for his series in Vietnam last summer. “As it turns out, it was easier to deal with Ho Chi Minh’s proteges than our own Smithsonian Institution. At least the commies kept their word. Not so with the Smithsonian.”
North’s full commentary can be accessed at:
A “Washington Post” article on the North versus Smithsonian fight can be accessed at:
6. BITS & BYTES: National Park Service Personnel Appointments: The National Park Service (NPS) recently announced the appointment of Daniel N. Wenk as Deputy Director and Dr. Richard J. O’Connor as Chief of the Heritage Documentation Programs Division.
7. ARTICLES OF INTEREST: Two “Washington Post” editorials on March 12, 2007, endorsing H.R. 1255, the “Presidential Records Act Amendments of 2007,” and H.R. 1254, the “Presidential Donation Reform Act of 2007.”
Editorial endorsing H.R. 1255, the “Presidential Records Act Amendments of
2007”
http://www.washingtonpost.com
Editorial endorsing H.R. 1254, the “Presidential Donation Reform Act of 2007”
http://www.washingtonpost.com
Friday, March 9, 2007
NCH WASHINGTON UPDATE (Vol. 13, #8; March 9, 2007)
1. TELL THE HOUSE TO PASS THE PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS ACT REFORM BILL!
2. FOIA REFORM BILL CLEARED FOR HOUSE CONSIDERATION
3. PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY FUNDING DISCLOSURE BILL SET FOR HOUSE FLOOR
4. REGISTER NOW FOR "HUMANITIES ADVOCACY DAY" ON CAPITOL HILL
5. BITS & BYTES: National Archives to host preservation conference
6. ARTICLE OF INTEREST: "Historians Fight Bush on Access to Papers," 'New a
York Times', March 8, 2007
1. TELL THE HOUSE TO PASS THE PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS ACT REFORM BILL!
On March 8, 2007, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee unanimously approved H.R. 1255, the "Presidential Records Act Amendments of 2007." The bill is expected to go to the House floor the week of March 12.
The National Coalition for History is asking everyone in the historical and archival community to contact their House member as soon as possible and ask that they support H.R.1255.
Here is a link to the NCH's CapWiz legislative grassroots website. This website allows you to either send a pre-written electronic letter to your Member of Congress or to edit the letter we have prepared to express your own personal views.
http://www.humanitiesadvocacy.org/action_ctr.html
It is important that you act TODAY, since the bill will likely be considred next week!!
Here is a summary of the bill, as marked up by the committee:
Overturning the Bush Executive Order. Under the Presidential Records Act, presidential records are supposed to be released to historians and the public 12 years after the end of a presidential administration. In November 2001, President George W. Bush issued Executive Order 13233, which overturned an executive order issued by President Reagan and gave current and former presidents and vice presidents broad authority to withhold presidential records or delay their release indefinitely. The Presidential Records Act Amendments of 2007 would nullify the Bush executive order and establish procedures to ensure the timely release of presidential records.
Establishing a Deadline for Review of Records. Under the Bush executive order, the Archivist must wait for both the current and former president to approve the release of presidential records, a review process that can continue indefinitely. Under the bill, the current and former president would have a set time period of no longer than 40 business days to raise objections to the release of these records by the Archivist.
Limiting the Authority of Former Presidents to Withhold Presidential Records. Under the Reagan executive order, a former president could request that the incumbent president assert a claim of executive privilege and thereby stop the release of the records. If the incumbent president decided not to assert executive privilege, however, the records would be released unless the former president could persuade a court to uphold the former president's assertion of the privilege. The Bush executive order reversed this process and required the incumbent president to sustain the executive privilege claim of the former president unless a person seeking access could persuade a court to reject the claim. In effect, the Bush order gave former presidents virtually unlimited authority to withhold presidential records through assertions of executive privilege. The legislation would restore the Reagan approach, giving the incumbent president the discretion to reject ill-founded assertions of executive privilege by former presidents.
Requiring the President to Make Privilege Claims Personally. Under the Bush executive order, designees of the former president could assert privilege claims after the death of the president, in effect making the right to assert executive privilege an asset of the former president's estate. The bill would make clear that the right to claim executive privilege is personal to current and former presidents and cannot be bequeathed to assistants, relatives, or descendants.
Eliminating Executive Privilege Claims for Vice Presidents. In an unprecedented step, the Bush executive order authorized former vice presidents to assert executive privilege claims over vice presidential records. The bill restores the long-standing understanding that the right to assert executive privilege over presidential records is a right held only by presidents.
During the markup, the Committee approved one amendment which would require the Archivist of the United States to deny access to original presidential records to any designated representative of a former president if the designee had been convicted of a crime relating to the review, retention, removal or destruction of records of the Archives. The amendment was inspired by the well-publicized theft of documents from the National Archives by President Clinton's former National Security Advisor Samuel R. (Sandy) Berger. On April 1, 2005, Berger pled guilty to one misdemeanor count of Unauthorized Removal and Retention of Classified Documents.
Last week we reported on the hearing held by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee's Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and the National Archives to consider presidential records. Four NCH member organizations testified at the hearing: Steven L. Hensen, Past President of the Society of American Archivists; Dr. Anna K. Nelson representing the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations; Tom Blanton of the National Security Archive; and Dr. Robert Dallek representing the American Historical Association. Also testifying was Scott Nelson of the Public Citizen Litigation Group, who is the counsel handling AHA's lawsuit in federal district court (American Historical Association, et. al., v. The National Archives). Copies of the testimony from that hearing is now available at: http://republicans.oversight.house.gov
2. FOIA REFORM BILL CLEARED FOR HOUSE CONSIDERATION
On March 8, 2007, the House Oversight and Government Relations Committee unanimously approved H.R. 1309, the "Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Amendments of 2007." This legislation contains numerous provisions that will increase public access to government information by strengthening the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). We expect the bill will be considered on the House floor next week in tandem with the Presidential Records Act Reform bill (H.R. 1255).
The bill would reaffirm the presumption that records should be released to the public if disclosure is allowable under law and the agency cannot reasonably foresee a harm from such a disclosure. This was the standard that was in effect during the Clinton administration. This provision would effectively rescind the "Ashcroft Memorandum" which was issued on October 12, 2001, in response to the 9-11 attacks and restore the "foreseeable harm" standard. The Aschroft FOIA Memorandum established a "sound legal basis" standard. Under this standard, agencies are required to reach the judgment that their use of a FOIA exemption is on sound footing, both factually and legally, whenever they withhold requested information.
The bill also puts teeth into the requirement that agencies respond to FOIA requests within 20 days. H.R. 1309 makes this deadline meaningful by ensuring that the 20-day statutory clock runs immediately upon an agency's receipt of a request and by imposing consequences on federal agencies for missing the deadline. The bill also requires agencies to provide requesters with individualized tracking numbers for each request and access to a telephone or internet hotline with information about the status of requests.
The bill strengthens agency reporting requirements to identify excessive delays and requires each agency to make the raw data used to compile its annual reports publicly available. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report annually on the Department of Homeland Security's use of the broad disclosure exemption for "critical infrastructure information."
H.R. 1309 creates a new FOIA ombudsman to help FOIA requesters resolve problems without having to resort to litigation. The FOIA ombudsman will be located at the National Archives and will help requesters by providing informal guidance and nonbinding opinions regarding rejected or delayed FOIA requests. The FOIA ombudsman will also review agency compliance with FOIA.
H.R. 1309 makes it more feasible for citizen groups to challenge the improper withholding of government information by expanding access to attorneys' fees for FOIA requesters who successfully challenge an agency's denial of information. The bill also holds agencies accountable for their decisions by enhancing the authority of the Office of Special Counsel to take disciplinary action against government officials who arbitrarily and capriciously deny disclosure.
At the markup, the Committee also adopted an amendment offered by Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) that would require agencies to provide reasons for each redaction in documents that are released in response to a FOIA request.
3. PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY FUNDING DISCLOSURE BILL SET FOR HOUSE FLOOR
On March 8, 2007, the House Oversight and Government Relations Committee unanimously approved H.R. 1254, the "Presidential Donation Reform Act of 2007." The bill will likely be considered on the House floor along with the two bills noted above.
Presidential libraries are built using private funds raised by an organization or foundation working on behalf of the president. Under current law, donations for the presidential library can be unlimited in size and are not required to be disclosed. The bill would require that all organizations established for the purpose of raising funds for presidential libraries or their related facilities report on a quarterly basis all contributions of $200 or more.
Organizations that raise funds for presidential libraries typically begin fundraising while the president remains in office. Before the library is turned over to the National Archives, these organizations must raise enough money to build the library and to provide the Archivist with an endowment for the maintenance of the facility. Under the legislation, organizations fundraising for presidential libraries would be required to disclose their donations while the president is in office and during the period before the federal government has taken possession of the library. The bill sets a minimum reporting period of four years after the end of a president's term.
Under the bill, presidential library fundraising organizations would be required to disclose to Congress and the Archivist the amount and date of each contribution, the name of the contributor, and if the contributor is an individual, the occupation of the contributor. The National Archives would be required to make the information available to the public through a free, searchable, and downloadable database on the internet.
One of the concerns the bill is designed to remedy is the fact that foreign nationals can make unlimited contributions to a sitting, or former, president's library foundation. This is in contrast to federal election laws which prohibit contributions by foreign nationals.
An amendment offered by Ranking Minority Member Tom Davis (R-VA), that would have made the law applicable to presidents after President George W. Bush, was defeated.
4. REGISTER NOW FOR "HUMANITIES ADVOCACY DAY" ON CAPITOL HILL
The National Humanities Alliance (NHA) will hold its 2007 conference March 26-27 in Washington DC. The two-day event is a unique meeting ground for members of the Alliance and others interested in humanities policy and advocacy, including higher education leaders, college and university faculty, teachers, museum professionals, librarians, archivists, curators, and independent scholars.
More information and online registration is available at: http://www.nhalliance.org
The opening session on March 26 features a luncheon and keynote address by Allen Weinstein, Archivist of the United States. During the afternoon, Congressional staff and leaders in the field will outline changes in the new 110th Congress, and brief participants on the status of significant policy and funding issues for the humanities community in 2007. Later, "Advocacy Guru" Stephanie Vance will lead a session on effective strategies for communication with elected officials.
All registered participants are encouraged to take part in Humanities Advocacy Day on March 27. The event provides supporters an important opportunity to meet with their representatives in the new Congress, and to work together to communicate the public value of the humanities to policymakers in Washington, DC. Conference activities will be capped by a reception on Capitol Hill featuring exhibits of federally supported humanities projects from around the country.
5. BITS & BYTES: National Archives to host Preservation Conference
The National Archives will host a two-day preservation conference entitled "Managing the Intangible: Creating, Storing and Retrieving Digital Surrogates of Historical Materials," on Monday, April 30, and Tuesday, May 1, 2007. Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein will provide opening remarks for the event, which will be held at The Inn and Conference Center by Marriott at the University of Maryland's University College in Adelphi, Maryland.
"Managing the Intangible" will give attendees an opportunity to participate in a comprehensive discussion on the essential components of the digital preservation reformatting process at the project or program level. "Managing the Intangible" will benefit individuals and institutions that are contemplating entering, or have just entered the digital arena by providing a forum to examine the reformatting process in its entirety, rather than a single administrative or technical element of the process. It will benefit those involved with any and all media types, with emphases on audio, video, photography, motion pictures, and microfilm reformatting
The fee for the two-day conference is $275 ($175 for full-time students). For details, registration forms, and information on lodging and transport, go to the Preservation Conference web page at:
6. ARTICLE OF INTEREST: "Historians Fight Bush on Access to Papers," 'New York Times', March 8, 2007, A timely discussion of the attempts by historians to fight the Bush Executive Order limiting access to presidential records that was the subject of the legislation passed this week and discussed above.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Legislative Alert on Presidential Records Act
Source: NCH Email (3-8-07)
Please visit our CapWiz electronic grassroots website and support the passage of "The Presidential Records Act Amendments of 2007." HR 1255 unanimously passed the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee this afternoon and is expected on the House floor sometime next week. Among other things, the bill would rescind President Bush's Executive Order 13233.
http://www.humanitiesadvocacy.org/action_ctr.html Lee White Executive Director National Coalition for History 202-544-2422 x-116
Friday, March 2, 2007
NCH WASHINGTON UPDATE (Vol. 13, #7; March 2, 2007)
1. HOUSE ARCHIVES SUBCOMMITTEE HOLDS PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS HEARING
2. HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE PROBES PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY FUNDING
3. SENATOR ROBERT BYRD RECEIVES OAH “FRIEND OF HISTORY” AWARD
4. NATIONAL ARCHIVES SEEKS COMMENTS ON RULE TO INCREASE COPYING FEES
5. REGISTER NOW FOR "HUMANITIES ADVOCACY DAY” ON CAPITOL HILL
6. NATIONAL COUNCIL ON THE HUMANITIES MEETING
7. PUBLIC INTEREST DECLASSIFICATION BOARD MEETING
8. ALERT>>URGE CONGRESS TO SUPPORT NATIONAL HISTORY DAY FUNDING
9. SMITHSONIAN SECRETARY SMALL UNDER SIEGE OVER UNAUTHORIZED EXPENSES
10. BITS & BYTES: Online Collection Presents Oral Histories of U.S. Diplomats
11. ARTICLE OF INTEREST: “As Ethics Panels Expand Grip, No Field Is Off
Limits,” 'New York Times', February 28, 2007
1. HOUSE ARCHIVES SUBCOMMITTEE HOLDS PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS HEARING
On March 1, 2007, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and the National Archives held a hearing to consider presidential records, specifically the impact Executive Order (E.O.) 13233 has had on the disposition of those materials. The E.O. was issued in November 2001 by President George W. Bush, and gives not only current and former presidents, but also vice presidents and a former president's family, the authority to withhold presidential records or delay their release indefinitely.
Concurrently with the hearing, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA), along with Information Policy, Census, and the National Archives Subcommittee Chair William Lacy Clay (D-MO) as cosponsor, introduced legislation (H.R. 1255) that would nullify the Bush E.O.; establish a 40-day records review period for presidents and former presidents to raise objections to the Archivist on the release of records; limit the reach of claims of executive privilege to the sitting and former president personally and not their heirs or designees; and eliminate claims of executive privilege by former vice presidents.
At the hearing, Chairman Waxman said that the Bush E.O. had eviscerated the Presidential Records Act turning it into “the Presidential Secrecy Act.” Waxman went on to say, “History is not partisan,” and that “Historians and scholars need access to our nation’s history as it happened, not as a former president wished it had happened.” The bill is expected to move quickly and markup by both the subcommittee and the full committee may occur as early as next week.
Four NCH member organizations testified at the hearing: Steven L. Hensen, Past President of the Society of American Archivists; Dr. Anna K. Nelson representing the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations; Tom Blanton of the National Security Archive; and Dr. Robert Dallek representing the American Historical Association. Also testifying was Scott Nelson of the Public Citizen Litigation Group, who is the counsel handling AHA’s lawsuit in federal district court (American Historical Association, et. al., v. The National Archives and Records Administration) to overturn E.O. 13233.
Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein and Dr. Harold Relyea of the Congressional Research Service were on the first panel of witnesses. Dr. Relyea provided the subcommittee with a historical perspective on the handling of presidential records. Archivist Weinstein stated that, “The most important measure in evaluating, E.O. 13233 is whether presidential records are being made available to the public. In that regard, I can report to you that, since E.O. 13233 went into effect in November 2001, NARA has opened over 2.1 million pages of presidential records. During this time there has been only one occasion when presidential records were kept closed from the public by an assertion of Executive Privilege under the order. . .Thus, there should be no question that, to date, E.O.13233 has not been used by former Presidents or the incumbent President to prevent the opening of records to the public.”
The public witnesses on the second panel, however, were united in their opposition to E.O.13233.
Dr. Nelson said that, “Supporters of the E.O. argue that it is merely a procedural addition to the Presidential Records Act, but it negates important parts of that Act. While the purpose of the Act was to provide greater and rapid access, the E.O. encourages delay since the incumbent and past president are not bound by the time restrictions as they peruse documents. Finally, broadening the definition of the president’s constitutional privileges and allowing their closure will remove most of the records of the confidential advice a president receives. In other words, it will have the potential to remove the core policy-making documents from the president’s collection.”
Mr. Hensen representing the Society of American Archivists said, “On behalf of the nation’s archivists, I ask your consideration in overturning this six-year old Executive Order that has seriously compromised the basic principles of government accountability, which are underpinned by the people’s right of access to the records of their government. In the case of the records of the office of the President of the United States, it is a right that took a long time for the nation to claim fully, but just a quick stroke of the pen to destroy.”
Dr. Dallek said, “President Bush’s order carries the potential for incomplete and distorted understanding of past presidential decisions, especially about controversial actions with significant consequences. Consider what difference the release of the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon tapes has made in our understanding of the decision-making on Vietnam.” He went on to say, “Access to the fullest possible record in the service of reconstructing the most substantial and honest history of presidencies is not some academic exercise confined to history departments. Rather, it can make a significant difference in shaping the national well-being.” Dallek said that every president, regardless of party, wants the public to think they walk on water, but in his research he has always found both a public and a private face to a president. His fear is that a president’s heirs will attempt to sanitize material that reflects badly on the former president. He concluded that the public is well-served by seeing the whole person.
In his testimony, Mr. Blanton said that the release of presidential records was in crisis. Using the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library as an example, Blanton showed that since the E.O. had been issued in 2001, the average response time to Freedom of Information Act and Mandatory Declassification Review requests had gone from 18 months to 6.5 years. Blanton stated, "We are only six years down the road from the initial White House decision in early 2001 to intervene in the Presidential Records Act process, and five years of that turns out to be pure delay.”
Copies of all of the testimony should be available shortly the website below. A copy of the legislation is already accessible at that site. http://oversight.house.gov
2. HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE PROBES PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY FUNDING
On February 28, 2007, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held a hearing on changing the presidential library funding disclosure process. Sharon K. Fawcett, Assistant Archivist for Presidential Libraries, testified on behalf of NARA. Also testifying were Celia Viggo Wexler of Common Cause and Sheila Krumholz of the Center for Responsive Politics.
On March 1, Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) introduced legislation (H.R. 1254) to require presidential library foundations to disclose the identity of their donors to Congress and the National Archives while the President is in office and up to such time as the foundation officially turns the facility over to the National Archives. The minimum reporting period would be four years after the end of a president’s term, and requires the amount and date of each contribution in excess of $200 to be disclosed. If the contributor is an individual, the occupation of the contributor must also be disclosed. Chairman Waxman stated that he plans to markup the bill next week.
Ms. Fawcett, stated that the Administration had no official comment to make on Waxman’s proposal. She said the Archives appreciated Waxman’s requirement to end disclosure at the point when the facility is turned over to the government as opposed to a longer period of time. Ms. Fawcett questioned whether NARA was the proper agency to police the disclosure requirement since it would require additional financial resources and the agency lacks the expertise in this regard. She also expressed concerns about possible conflicts of interest since the presidential libraries are a partnership between NARA and the foundations that support them.
A link to the testimony presented at the hearing, and the legislation, is available at the Committee’s website at: http://oversight.house.gov
3. SENATOR ROBERT BYRD RECEIVES OAH “FRIEND OF HISTORY” AWARD
On March 1, 2007, in a ceremony held in the U.S. Capitol, Senator Robert C. Byrd (D-WV) received the Organization of American Historian’s prestigious “Friend of History” Award from OAH Executive Director Lee Formwalt. Senator Byrd has a long record of supporting history and one of his most lasting contributions has been his sponsorship of the “Teaching American History” grants program awarded by the U.S. Department of Education. The goal of this program for school districts and institutions with expertise in American history to collaborate over a three-year period to help teachers develop the knowledge and skills necessary to teach American history.
In the 1980s, Senator Byrd wrote and delivered a lengthy series of speeches on the history of the United States Senate that was later published in four volumes as “The Senate, 1789––1989: Addresses on the History of the Senate.”
4. NATIONAL ARCHIVES SEEKS COMMENTS ON RULE TO INCREASE COPYING FEES
On February 26, 2007, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) published a proposed rule announcing its intention to raise its fees for reproducing federal records and historical materials in NARA’s holdings. The proposed rule covers Federal records created by other agencies that are in the National Archives, donated historical materials, presidential records, Nixon Presidential historical materials, and records filed with the Office of the Federal Register.
The proposed rule, including the new fee structure are available at the Federal Register’s website at: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net
The deadline for submitting comments on the proposed rule is April 27, 2007.
NARA does not receive appropriations from Congress to cover copying costs, and the agency must cover the cost from user fees. This would be the first increase in reproduction fees in seven years. It would apply to everything from self-service copy machines, to mail orders and reproductions. In fiscal year 2006, NARA said its costs for fixed-fee services were more than double the revenue the agency received in copying fees.
Copies made by users at a NARA self-service copier would go from the current 15 cents per-page to a quarter. Paper-to-paper copies made by NARA staff would rise from the current 50 cents to 75 cents per-page. Microfilm to paper copies made by a customer on a NARA self-service machine would increase from the current 30 cents per-page to 50 cents per-page. Certifications would go from the current $6 to $15. There would be a minimum fee of $15 for all mail orders, up from the current $10.
The biggest increase would be in the cost of a complete pension file more than 75 years old that would go from the current $37 to $125. There are also price increases for providing copies of passenger lists, Federal census records, and military records, all of which would be raised to $25.
In a separate interim final rule, NARA determined it was not appropriate to apply fee increases to the reproduction of records of other Federal agencies stored in NARA Federal records centers that are not in their legal custody. This interim rule can be found at: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net
The deadline for comments on this interim final rule is April 27, 2007, and it will go into effect on May 29, 2007.
5. REGISTER NOW FOR "HUMANITIES ADVOCACY DAY" ON CAPITOL HILL
The National Humanities Alliance (NHA) will hold its 2007 conference March 26-27 in Washington DC. The two-day event is a unique meeting ground for members of the Alliance and others interested in humanities policy and advocacy, including higher education leaders, college and university faculty, teachers, museum professionals, librarians, archivists, curators and independent scholars.
More information and online registration is available at: http://www.nhalliance.org
The opening session on March 26 features a luncheon and keynote address by Allen Weinstein, Archivist of the United States. During the afternoon, Congressional staff and leaders in the field will outline changes in the new 110th Congress, and brief participants on the status of significant policy and funding issues for the humanities community in 2007. Later, “Advocacy Guru” Stephanie Vance will lead a session on effective strategies for communication with elected officials.
All registered participants are encouraged to take part in Humanities Advocacy Day on March 27. The event provides supporters an important opportunity to meet with their representatives in the new Congress, and to work together to communicate the public value of the humanities to policymakers in Washington, DC. Conference activities will be capped by a reception on Capitol Hill featuring exhibits of federally supported humanities projects from around the country.
6. NATIONAL COUNCIL ON THE HUMANITIES MEETING
On February 22–23, 2007, the National Council on the Humanities held two days of meetings in Washington, D.C. The Council serves as an advisory board to the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities on policies and programs and reviews applications for financial support from the NEH. On February 22, the committees on education, federal/state partnerships, preservation and access, public, and research programs held brief public sessions before going into closed session for discussions of specific grants and applications.
On February 23, the full council met and received updates on key NEH programs. Among the highlights was the announcement of the roll-outs later this year of a national digital newspaper program being developed in conjunction with the Library of Congress, and the “Picturing America” program which will provide public and private schools with a collection of posters depicting works of American art. It was reported that the Digital Humanities Initiative, launched last year, already has five programs underway. The Council also heard about a multi-media publicity blitz that will accompany the September debut on the Public Broadcasting Service of “The War,” a 14-hour television series on World War II produced by filmmaker Ken Burns.
7. PUBLIC INTEREST DECLASSIFICATION BOARD MEETING
On February 24, 2007, the Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB) met to discuss declassification program issues. The meeting included presentations from representatives of the public with significant experience in declassification matters and a wide-ranging discussion of potential modifications to current declassification processes and policies. The PIDB was created by statute in 2000, to serve as an advisory board on declassification priorities and policies.
The Honorable David E. Skaggs presided and board members Admiral William O. Studeman, USN (Ret.), Martin Faga, and Joan Vail Grimson were in attendance. Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein and Bill Leonard, Director of NARA’s Information Security and Oversight Office (ISOO), were also present. In his opening comments, Dr. Weinstein noted the declassification challenges facing NARA, especially in light of the passage of the December 31, 2006, deadline requiring federal agencies to declassify documents in their holdings more than 25 years old. Weinstein also noted a pilot program to speed the release of the records of the 9-11 Commission.
The Board first heard from Dr. Michael J. Kurtz, Assistant Archivist for the Office of Records Services who reported on NARA’s progress in addressing the backlog of documents that were declassified on December 31, 2006, as a result of Executive Order 12958.
The panel heard comments from public representatives Steve Aftergood from the Federation of American Scientists and publisher of “Secrecy News,” and Bruce Berkowitz, a scholar who has written extensively on government secrecy issues. There was an extensive discussion of whether the total federal expenditures on intelligence should be declassified. There was no consensus reached among the members of the PIDB as to the appropriateness of the suggestion made by Aftergood. There was also much discussion of another recommendation made by Aftergood, to enlist agency Inspectors General in the task of performing their own annual review of classification and declassification to augment the scrutiny provided by the ISOO.
The Board also heard a presentation from William J. Bolsankso, staff for the Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel, providing an overview of the panel’s duties and role in the declassification process.
A copy of the first annual report to Congress by the PIDB is available at: http://www.fas.org
8. ALERT: URGE CONGRESS TO SUPPORT NATIONAL HISTORY DAY FUNDING
National History Day (NHD) is a year-long, nonprofit education program dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of history in schools. The program teaches students critical skills that will help them succeed in college, the workplace and make them effective citizens in the 21st century. NHD engages more than 1.5 million people –– students, teachers and parents –– annually. A core of the program is a national contest similar to science fair where students produce performances, exhibits, documentaries and research papers based on in-depth historical research.
Senators Daniel Akaka (D-HI) and Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Representatives Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Thomas Petri (R-WI) are circulating a “Dear Colleague” letter in support of a $5 million appropriation for the congressionally authorized National History Day program. The funding will be used to reach rural and urban schools and help NHD state programs improve teacher workshops and outreach. The letter is similar to a petition that members of Congress sign in support of funding a program.
NCH has set up an electronic letter that can be sent to your Members of Congress, through our “CAPWIZ” grassroots network, supporting the $5 million in funding for National History Day. Simply go to http://www.humanitiesadvocacy.org/action_ctr.html to contact your Senators and Representative and ask them to sign the Dear Colleague letter in support of National History Day.
9. SMITHSONIAN SECRETARY SMALL UNDER SIEGE OVER UNAUTHORIZED EXPENSES
Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lawrence Small is once again under siege after an internal report done by the Institution’s Inspector General questioned the propriety of nearly $90,000 in unauthorized expenses incurred by Small over the past five years. The report was leaked to the “Washington Post,” which ran the story this week. Small has refused to respond publicly to the report. However, the watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has asked Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to investigate whether Small has violated federal law by using government funds for the expenses in question. In addition, Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA), the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, has asked the chancellor of the Smithsonian Board of Regents, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John G. Roberts, Jr. to look into the allegations.
The “Washington Post” issued a scathing editorial critical of both Small and the Smithsonian Board of Regents which it called “more lap dog than watchdog.”
10. ONLINE COLLECTION PRESENTS ORAL HISTORIES OF U.S. DIPLOMATS
A new online collection of interviews with some of the most prominent diplomats of the 20th century is now available from the Library of Congress at http://memory.loc.gov/
Most of the interviews in the collection come from foreign service officers, but there also are some with political appointees and other officials. While some 1920s-, 1930s-, and World War II-era diplomacy is covered, most of the interviews involve post-World War II diplomacy, from the late 1940s to the 1990s. The collection includes extensive personal recollections from luminaries of American 20th century diplomatic history, including Zbigniew Brzezinski (national security adviser under President Carter), Frank Carlucci (a former ambassador to Portugal and secretary of defense under President Reagan), Lawrence Eagleburger (secretary of state under President George H.W. Bush), Averell Harriman (ambassador to the Soviet Union and England under President Franklin Roosevelt), Jeane Kirkpatrick (ambassador to the United Nations), Dean Rusk (secretary of state under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson), and Cyrus Vance (secretary of state under President Carter).
ARTICLE OF INTEREST: “As Ethics Panels Expand Grip, No Field Is Off Limits,” 'New York Times,’ February 28, 2007–The article discusses the impact Institutional Review Boards are having on historical research involving “human subjects.”
Sunday, February 25, 2007
NCH Washington Update (2-23-07)
FYI--There will be no edition of the NCH Washington Update this week due to the congressional recess.
Next week, we will be reporting on two important congressional hearings.
On February 28, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will be holding a hearing on the presidential library funding disclosure process (10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn House Office Building).
On March 1, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee's Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census and the National Archives will be holding a hearing on the Presidential Records Act (2 p.m., 2154 Rayburn House Office Building). Witnesses from National Coalition for History members the American Historical Association, the Society of American Archivists and the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations will be testifying along with Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein.
We will also be reporting on meetings being held by the Public Interest Declassification Board and the National Council on the Humanities.
Lee White
Executive Director
National Coalition for History
202-544-2422 x-116
Saturday, February 17, 2007
NCH WASHINGTON UPDATE (Vol. 13, #6; February 16, 2007)
1. CONGRESS FINALLY PASSES FISCAL YEAR 2007 FUNDING BILL
2. NATIONAL ARCHIVES COMPLETES HISTORIC FREEDMEN’S BUREAU RECORDS PROJECT
3. OLIVER NORTH vs. THE SMITHSONIAN
4. NATIONAL ARCHIVES ANNOUNCES PRESIDENTIAL TIMELINE WEBSITE
5. BITS & BYTES: Public Interest Declassification Board announces public
meeting; National Council on the Humanities schedules meetings; Institute
for the Editing of Historical Documents announces annual meeting; U.S.
College Students Display Ignorance of American Presidents.
6. ARTICLE OF INTEREST: “Honest, It Wasn’t Abe’s Comment” February 16,
2007, “Washington Post"
1. CONGRESS FINALLY PASSES FISCAL YEAR 2007 FUNDING BILL
On February 14, the U.S. Senate passed a continuing budget resolution (H.J. Res. 20) to fund most federal government programs through the remainder of the 2007 fiscal year on September 30, 2007. The continuing resolution passed 81-15. Despite this show of bi-partisan support, many Republicans were upset that the new Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) brought the bill to the floor utilizing a parliamentary rule that did not allow amendments. Like the version passed by the House, the bill was also stripped of nearly all specially designated projects known as “earmarks.”
In general, federal agencies and their programs were flat-funded at the same amount they received in fiscal year 2006. However, there were exceptions to this general rule.
One agency that had some bright spots was the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). While the final operating expenses number of $278.2 million was relatively flat, some important programs within the agency received increased funding.
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), which had its budget zeroed out in the Bush administration’s FY ‘07 budget request, was funded at its FY ‘06 level. The NHPRC will receive $5.5 million for grants and $2 million for overhead expenses.
The Electronic Records Archives program received a nearly $10 million increase over the FY 2006 appropriated level of $37.5 million. NARA also received $3 million in mainly reprogrammed money to help repair damage to its Washington, DC headquarters from flooding last summer.
Another winner is the Department of Education's “Teaching American History” initiative which will see a funding level of $121 million –– the amount appropriated to the program in FY 2006. This figure is some $71 million more than recommended by the President in the FY 2007 budget proposal.
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) would be allotted $141 million – about what was proposed for the agency in FY 2007 by President Bush. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) will experience a significant loss as the agency will not get the $15 million (or 6% percent) increase that the White House supported for the IMLS in its FY 2007 budget proposal; funding for the IMLS will be set at $247 million.
2. NATIONAL ARCHIVES COMPLETES HISTORIC FREEDMEN’S BUREAU RECORDS PROJECT
Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein this week announced that the National Archives has completed a five-year, multi-series project that preserved and microfilmed the field office records of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, a