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ALA Surveys Bush, Kerry Views on Library IssuesBoth candidates for U.S. President appear to have a strong commitment to libraries and education, but they differ on the specifics of combating terrorism, according to an examination of their statements by the American Library Association’s Washington Office.Senator Kerry was an original cosponsor of the Senate version of the 2003 Museum and Library Services Act that would have increased library funding levels to $350 million for fiscal year 2004. President Bush has proposed increasing Library Services and Technology Act funding by more than $52 million in his budget requests from 2002 to 2005. President Bush wants to spend $200 million annually on a “Striving Readers initiative for high school students who have fallen behind on reading,” while Senator Kerry has proposed investing $24.8 billion in school modernization bonds. Senator Kerry voted for passage of the USA Patriot Act in 2001 but favors protection of library users through the Security and Freedom Ensured Act, a bill he cosponsored in 2003. President Bush supports all the USA Patriot Act provisions, while the Bush Department of Justice has sought to expand the powers given to law enforcement. The ALA Washington Office has compared the records and public-policy statements of the two presidential candidates on issues that affect libraries and posted a summary on its website. An introductory statement notes, however, that “there was no specific mention of libraries in either of the candidates’ proposals in public sources nor from their campaign materials.” The Washington Office cautions that the material is for informational purposes only and “should not be considered an endorsement of any kind of either candidate.” Posted October 27, 2004. |
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