1. NSF's Social Science Program Threatened
2. Peterson Announces Retirement from the National Archives
3. Moynihan Holds Hearings on Declassification
4. Opposition Mounts to Park Reform Bill
1. National Science Foundation's Social Science Program
Threatened --Nonbinding language in the House Budget Resolution
Report states that while there should be no reductions in basic
research in the physical sciences, an area for cuts is the
social, behavioral and economic studies. Remarks made by
Representative Robert Walker (R-PA), who chairs the House Science
Committee, which has oversight of NSF and its pending
reauthorization legislation, put a further cloud over social
science funding. Walker stated in answer to a question about
social science funding:
"In large part, we think that's an area where the National
Science Foundation has largely wandered into those areas in
recent years, that was a kind of politically correct
decision in recent years. And that is a place where the
science budgets can be rescoped. We think that the
concentration ought to be in those areas of the physical
sciences."
Contrary to the impression given by Representative Walker, the
NSF has funded research in the social and behavioral sciences for
over 40 years. The Senate Budget Resolution has no comparable
language about reduction of social, behavioral and economic
sciences' funding.
A mark-up of the NSF reauthorization bill in the House Science
Committee's Subcommittee on Basic Research will be held on June
8. Staff working for Representative Steven Schiff (R-NM), who
chairs the subcommittee, has indicated that there is no intention
at the subcommittee level of eliminating directorates or
disciplines from the NSF. However, the full committee, chaired
by Representative Walker, may amend the bill when they consider
it in late June. Very shortly the House Appropriations
Subcommittee on VA (Veterans' Affairs), HUD, and Independent
Agencies, chaired by Representative Jerry Lewis (R-CA) will be
voting on the NSF budget for FY'96. Social science funding by NSF
is a complex issue with many interwoven threads that requires
careful monitoring.
2. Peterson Announces Retirement from the National Archives --
Dr. Trudy Huskamp Peterson, who served as Acting Archivist for
the past 26 months, announced on May 30 that she will take
advantage of the early retirement option. She will retire from a
24 year career at the National Archives on September 30. She
plans to complete work on several projects, including a MIA/POW
records report, prior to her departure.
3. Moynihan Holds Hearings on Declassification. The State
Department authorization bill (P.L. 103-236) signed into law last
year included a section that created a bipartisan "Commission on
Protection and Reducing Secrecy." Headed by Senator Daniel
Patrick Moynihan (D-NY), the commission will have 2 years to
examine the implications of classification and declassification
policies and make recommendations on how to reduce the volume of
classified information and to strengthen the protection of
legitimately classified information. The 12 member panel
includes not only members of Congress but also individuals such
as journalist Ellen Hume and John M. Deutch, the Director of
Central Intelligence. The Moynihan commission held a hearing on
May 17 and heard testimony from Regina Genton of the National
Security Council who played a central role in the development of
the recent Executive Order 12958 on Classified National Security
Information. During the question and discussion period members
of the commission asked about the cost of the current system, the
amount of currently classified material, the percentage of
documents that would remain classified under the exemptions
provided in the new E.O., how the culture of secrecy can be
changed, and whether the exemptions in the new order, E.O. 12958,
allow too many loopholes. On June 20, the commission will hold
another hearing. The National Archives has been invited to
provide testimony at that time.
4. Opposition Mounts to Park Reform Bill. On May 17 the House
Committee on Resources passed an amended H.R. 260, the National
Park System Reform Act. Although the bill passed by the
committee represents some improvement over earlier drafts, the
National Parks and Conservation Association, contend that the
bill is still unacceptable. While the bill is cloaked in reform
language, many fear it may be a vehicle for closing significant
numbers of parks or reducing the size of many other parks. The
bill states that "significant portions of units of the National
Park System" will be studied for termination of National Park
Service management. Paul Pritchard, the President of the
National Parks and Conservation Association has stated that the
National Park Review Commission, established by this bill, "is a
Trojan horse, designed to shield Congress from accountability
when making politically tough decisions that reverse actions
taken by past Congresses." The National Parks and Conservation
Association, a nonprofit citizen organization of 450,000 members
dedicated to protecting, preserving, and enhancing the National
Park System, is urging that all members of Congress be contacted
and encouraged to oppose this bill when it comes to the floor for
a vote. Over half of the 368 units of the National Park Service
are cultural and historical sites. A number of groups concerned
about cultural resources have expressed serious reservations
about various provisions of H.R. 260.
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