July 12, 1996
The Honorable Connie Mack, Chairman
Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch
Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate
Washington, D. C.  20510
Dear Senator Mack:
     Thank you for taking a few minutes after the hearing on the Library of 
Congress to listen to the concern I expressed on behalf of the National 
Federation of the Blind.  Section 208 of the House-passed bill--the section 
which I gave to you--would allow the Librarian of Congress to transfer funds 
from one
specified appropriations account to another subject to approval by the House 
and Senate Appropriations Committees.  While the approval proviso is 
comforting, we earnestly hope that you will not authorize the Librarian to 
change the sums appropriated for Books for the Blind and Physically 
Handicapped.
     To secure this appropriation for the purposes specified, we are 
requesting an amendment to strike the reference to the Books for the Blind 
and Physically Handicapped program in section 208 (b).  The present 
Librarian, Dr. Billington, has left no doubt that service to the blind is not 
highly ranked as a priority in the Library's total mission.  You can confirm 
this by examining the mission and strategic priorities statement of the 
Library which Dr. Billington personally authored.  The sole reference to the 
Books for the Blind program is one clause in the lowest priority specified.
     I have listened carefully to Dr. Billington's testimony for several 
years at appropriations time.  While the prepared text may always contain 
acknowledgement of the Books for the Blind program, he almost never mentions 
it in his remarks.  I am not saying he has shown malice to our service, just 
a significant degree of indifference toward it.  This indifference, combined 
with the discretionary power to transfer funds, will almost certainly mean 
that activities of higher priority for Dr.
Billington are apt to be favored by him in transferring funds within the 
overall budget of the Library.
     Reading matter is something which sighted people tend to take for 
granted because it is so available to them, and
libraries are only one of many sources.  For blind people,
however, libraries are virtually the only source.  Few
individuals can afford to purchase a book in Braille, let alone have the 
space required to store a personal collection.  For these reasons a library 
which can serve the entire nation offers the most cost-effective means for 
providing access to books and magazines for the blind.  The Library of 
Congress has fulfilled this role for us with a high degree of success for 
sixty-five years.
     At a time when audit findings have called into question the management 
of several programs which Dr. Billington lists as top priorities, an audit of 
the National Library Service for the Blind reports that its service delivery 
and production
responsibilities are effectively managed.  It would be ironic indeed if this 
effective record of performance were to be
rewarded by the transfer of resources to other programs that are arguably 
less efficient than NLS.  This could happen, however, if the appropriations 
act allows the Librarian to reduce the sums specified for Books for the Blind 
in favor of other programs to which he has assigned a higher priority.
     With all of this in mind, the National Federation of the Blind believes 
that an amendment to section 208 (b) of the
Legislative Branch appropriations bill is essential.  This
amendment would restrict the application of section 208 so that the sums 
appropriated by Congress for Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped 
would be secured for the exclusive use of that program.
     Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding this 
request.  I understand that the markup of the appropriations bill for the 
Legislative Branch is scheduled for July 16, with action by the full 
committee to follow soon
thereafter.  I hope it will be possible to include an amended version of 
section 208 in the bill at the time it is reported out by the Subcommittee.  
     Thank you for your consideration and assistance in regard to this issue.
                              Very truly yours,
                              James Gashel
                              Director of Governmental Affairs
                              NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
JG/mrb
                   COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                      UNITED STATES SENATE
(NOTE: Members are listed in order of their committee ranking,with the 
Republican Senators [the Majority] presented first,followed by the Democrats. 
 Senators who serve on the Legislative Branch Subcommittee are responsible 
for the bill which
appropriates funds for the Library of Congress, but all members of the 
committee must approve the bill which the Legislative Branch Subcommittee 
reports.  The Subcommittee members are marked with an * - asterisk.  If a 
triple asterisk *** appears, the fax number was only given to the 
constituent.)
OR        Mark O. Hatfield
202-224-3753 - WORK
202-224-0276 - FAX
Mark Yerby - STAFF ASST.
AK        Ted Stevens
202-224-3004 - WORK
202-224-2354 - FAX
Elizabeth J. Connell - STAFF ASST.
MS        Thad Cochran
202-224-5054 - WORK
202-224-9450 - FAX
Greg McGinity - STAFF ASST.
PA        Arlen Specter
202-224-4254 - WORK
202-228-1229 - FAX
Melissa Southerland - STAFF ASST.
NM        Pete V. Domenici
202-224-6621 - WORK
202-224-7371 - FAX
Keith Nelson - STAFF ASST.
MO        Christopher S. Bond
202-224-5721 - WORK
202-224-8149 - FAX
Joe Pierle - STAFF ASST.
WA        Slade Gorton
202-224-3441 - WORK
202-224-9393 - FAX
Tami Brueske - STAFF ASST.
KY        Mitch McConnell
202-224-2541 - WORK
202-224-2499 - FAX
Robin Bowen or Willis Sautter - STAFF ASST.
FL        Connie Mack *
202-224-5274 - WORK
202-224-8022 - FAX
Larry Harris - STAFF ASST.
MT        Conrad Burns
202-224-2644 - WORK
202-224-8594 - FAX
Jim Brown - STAFF ASST.
AL        Richard Shelby
202-224-5744 - WORK
202-224-3416 - FAX
Paul Doerrer - STAFF ASST.
VT        James M. Jeffords
202-224-5141 - WORK
202-228-1967 - FAX
Sharon Wynn - STAFF ASST.
NH        Judd Gregg
202-224-3324 - WORK
202-224-4952 - FAX
Alyssa Shooshan - STAFF ASST.
UT        Robert F. Bennett *
202-224-5444 - WORK
202-224-4908 - FAX
Robert Cresanti - STAFF ASST.
CO        Ben Nighthorse Campbell *
202-224-5852 - WORK
202-224-1933 - FAX
Tammy Perrin - STAFF ASST.
WV        Robert Byrd
202-224-3954 - WORK
202-228-0002 - FAX
Kathy McNally - STAFF ASST.
HI        Daniel Inouye
202-224-3934 - WORK
202-224-6747 - FAX
Mavis Masaki - STAFF ASST.
SC        Ernest Hollings
202-224-6121 - WORK
202-224-4293 - FAX
Eddie Moore - STAFF ASST.
LA        J. Bennett Johnston
202-224-5824 - WORK
202-224-2952 - FAX
Dionne Thompson - STAFF ASST.
VT        Patrick J. Leahy
202-224-4242 - WORK
202-224-3595 - FAX  ***
Amy Rainone - STAFF ASST.
AR        Dale Bumpers
202-224-4843 - WORK
202-224-5619 - FAX
Nancy Kelly - STAFF ASST.
NJ        Frank R. Lautenberg
202-224-4744 - WORK
202-224-9707 - FAX
Mitch Sklar - STAFF ASST.
IA        Tom Harkin
202-224-3254 - WORK
202-224-9369 - FAX
Marsha Simon - STAFF ASST.
MD        Barbara Mikulski *
202-224-4654 - WORK
202-224-8858 - FAX
Lisa Kinard - STAFF ASST.
NV        Harry Reid
202-224-3542 - WORK
202-224-7327 - FAX
Sue Mabry - STAFF ASST.
NE        J. Robert Kerrey
202-224-6551 - WORK
202-224-7645 - FAX
Marci McPherson - STAFF ASST.
WI        Herbert Kohl
202-224-5653 - WORK
Steve Kimball - STAFF ASST.
WA        Patty Murray *
202-224-2621 - WORK
202-224-0238 - FAX
Greg Williamson - STAFF ASST.
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