Jacquie asked for support on this issue. Here is some additional
information that I got from Anne Heanue of the American Library Assn that
may be helpful in writing your senators.

The House passed HR 5454 which includes $33.9MM for the Superintendant of
Documents expenses and salaries. The House struck from this portion of the
bill $3.3MM intended for the Federal Depositories Libraries Program, which
includes $1.5MM specifically to meet the requirements of the Govt. Printing
Office Access law; this law directs that the Office makes the Federal
Register, the Congressional record (and other unspecified documents)
available on-line to the public.

Consequently, if you have an opinion on free on-line access to the Federal
Register, which had been expected this summer through the Federal
Depository Libraries, you should write your Senator, because this bill
will go before the Senate soon, perhaps next week. You could request
restoration of the whole $3.3MM for the FDRs, pointing to the importance of
public electronic access for your constituency. Of course you could support
the House position too (I have to be impartial about this).

 Charlie
Charlie Graham, Director, Office of Sponsored Research
117D David Boyd Hall, Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA 50310       504-388-8692    xxxxxx@UNIX1.SNCC.LSU.EDU