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AASLH Urges Funding for NHPRC The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) is requesting letters of support be sent to federal legislators in support of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). President Bush's FY 2006 proposed budget does not include any funding for this granting agency. The following is the call to action from AASLH. The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC)—the grant-making arm of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)—has been targeted for zero funding in the President's FY 2006 proposed budget. A minimum funding level of $8 million is needed for grants and an additional $2 million for staffing and other program administration related costs in FY 2006 if this small but critically important program is to continue. Over the past 40 years, the Commission has awarded a total of $153 million to over 4,000 state and local government archives, colleges and universities, and other institutions to preserve and publish important historical records that document American history. Through the work of the documentary editions, more and more of the documentary record has been made readily available in books and electronic formats, enabling the research on a wealth of award winning new books by noted historians such as Joseph Ellis, David McCullough, Michael Beschloss, Jack Rakove, James McPherson, and others. Accessible documents and documentary editions provide the essential evidence that enables historians to tell the story of our nation's history. Editions and archival collections have also provided the resources for the creation of a vast number of authentic tools for educators at all levels. In FY 2004 the NHPRC received its full authorized level of $10 million, but in FY 2005 Congress appropriated only $5 million—after the Administration proposed cutting the program to $2 million. In spite of the cuts, last year the president signed legislation reauthorizing the Commission's grants program for another four years at the $10 million level. AASLH requests that concerned individuals fax letters to their members of Congress asking them to support $8 million for the grant-making arm of the NHPRC and an additional $2 million for staffing. For a list of Congressional addresses via zip code, visit www.house.gov/writerep/ and www.senate.gov/ or use the Humanities Action Network at www.humanitiesadvocacy.org/. AASLH asks that you copy davis@aaslh.org on any correspondence sent in response to this call to action. |