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Vol. 24:2 ISSN 0160-8460 August 1996
Hatfield, Mica Seek NHPRC Reauthorization
Senator Mark Hatfield (R-Oregon) and Representative John Mica (R-Florida) have introduced legislation in the Congress to extend NHPRC's authorization to continue making grants.
In order to make grants, the NHPRC must have Congressional authorization to receive annual appropriations for that purpose. NHPRC's current authorization expires at the end of fiscal year 1997. Senator Hatfield, who represents the Senate on the Commission, and Representative Mica have introduced identical bills (S.1577 and H.R.3625), which would authorize the NHPRC to receive up to $10 million annually in grant-fund appropriations for another four years, fiscal years 1998-2001. Senator Hatfield's bill received bipartisan cosponsorship from Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-Maryland), a former Commission member.
Simultaneously, the House of Representatives had approved an appropriations bill that would provide $4 million in grant funds for the Commission to use in fiscal year 1997. Though $1 million less than the current year's appropriation of $5 million, that was the full amount requested in the Administration's budget for the coming fiscal year, and was the amount approved by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Treasury, Postal Service, and General Government, chaired by Representative Jim Lightfoot (R-Iowa), as well as by the full House Appropriations Committee, chaired by Representative Robert Livingston (R-Louisiana). Action on this legislation in the Senate was pending.
At press time, the full Senate had approved the bill and the House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight had sent the bill to the House floor for approval.
