A couple of weeks ago here, I stated here that the Senate's "Institute of
Museum and Library Services (IMLS)" proposal was stalled in the Senate.  It
is stalled no longer.  Any reactions out there?  The winds change quickly on
the Hill...

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To:     Museum Advocacy Team and AAM Institutional Member Directors
Date:   October 12, 1995
Pages:  2
About:  URGENT information:
         Institute of Museum and Library Services  amendment passes Senate

What has happened
------------------------

In a surprise action yesterday afternoon, Senators Claiborne Pell (D-RI) and
Jim Jeffords (R-VT) introduced, and the Senate passed, an amendment to create
and authorize the  Institute of Museum and Library Services  (IMLS).  The
amendment would set up the IMLS as a new federal agency, an idea previously
proposed in S. 856, the Senate reauthorization bill for the three cultural
agencies (IMS, NEH, and NEA).  The IMLS would consolidate and replace two
existing federal programs: the Institute of Museum Services (IMS) and the
Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA).

The new IMLS would have two distinct divisions, mirroring and replacing the
current functions of IMS and LSCA, as previously proposed in S. 856.  S. 856
is presently not scheduled for floor action in the Senate.  The Pell/Jeffords
amendment, which was placed on an extensive job training program bill,
contains only the IMLS provisions of the larger reauthorization bill; we
understand that the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee will continue
to pursue reauthorization for all three agencies, including the IMLS
proposal, through S. 856 as well.

The IMLS amendment was accepted by a Senate voice vote, then the entire job
training program bill passed the Senate 97-2.  Senators Pell, Jeffords,
Kassebaum (R-KS), and Kennedy (D-MA) each spoke on the Senate floor in favor
of the Pell/Jeffords amendment.  The House has passed a different job
training bill which makes no mention of the IMLS proposal or other museum
issues but has provisions relating to libraries.  The entire Senate job
training bill, including the IMLS language, now goes to a House-Senate
conference committee, then to the full House and Senate, and finally to the
President for his approval.  This series of approvals and negotiations may
take two months or more.

How the IMLS would be structured
------------------------------------------

The IMLS would have a Chairperson, who would initially be Diane Frankel,
current Director of IMS.  Future appointments to the position would alternate
between museum and library professionals.  Two deputies would administer the
two distinct museum and library services divisions at the agency.  The
current functions of IMS and LSCA would continue in these two divisions.

The most significant change from S. 856 for the museum division would be the
added responsibility of administration of the federal Arts and Artifacts
Indemnity Act program.  Senator Jeffords initiated the proposed transfer of
this program from NEA to the IMLS.

Analysis
----------

We understand that the library community was concerned about the
library-related provisions in the House version of the job training bill and
hoped to have Senate help in improving those provisions.  In this situation,
Senators Pell and Jeffords had an additional opportunity beyond S. 856 to
advance the IMLS proposal, which they strongly support.  It is unclear at
this time how the IMLS proposal will fare in the House-Senate conference on
the job training bill.

We are currently analyzing the IMLS amendment in detail and will provide
further information as it becomes available.  Our understanding is that it is
basically a repetition of the IMLS provisions in the three agency
reauthorization (S. 856), about which we have reported to you previously,
with the addition of the transfer of the Indemnity Program from its current
home at NEA to the proposed IMLS.