of the few agencies we need to worry about. Most of the rest are housed around Capitol Hill.

Dr. BILLINGTON. Also, there is a relatively small amount of remote access material. The fact that we are a legislative branch entity does make it seem a bit odd. We are involved in paying the average overhead for executive branch facilities all over the country with a whole set of other problems.

Mr. FAZIO. GPO seems to have its own authority. Even if we don't want to invest it in you, the Architect is the appropriate entity. It is an additional cost to this branch of government. We like to do it the other way around.

Thank you for reminding us.

SPACE RENTAL

Dr. BILLINGTON. We have asked for $3.8 million, which is the largest single item in our request aside from mandatories, to undertake this effort to protect our collections and to continue to make them accessible nearby.

Mr. FAZIO. I have some questions that I will submit to be answered for the record.

[The questions and responses follow:]

SECONDARY STORAGE FACILITY

Question. Last year, the Public Works Committee promised to move, on a timely basis, the legislation necessary to help you acquire additional storage space. I realize that hasn't been done-what is the current status?

Response. Senate Report No. 102-81, dated June 12, 1991, stated that funding for a secondary storage facility was premature until the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) completed its study of legislative branch needs. The AOC completed the study on December 11, 1991, and we await a decision on its recommendations to determine whether a central legislative branch facility will be obtained.

The Library met with Public Works staff on February 6, 1992 to discuss the current budget request and clarify the need for space and available options. Since the AOC knows the Library's unique storage requirements (e.g. environmental specifications, security needs, shelving criteria, etc.), the Library conveyed to the Public Works staff the advantages of the AOC controlling the storage of all of the Library's collections, not just items stored in Capitol Hill buildings.

Question. You are asking for $3.8 million for high density storage. Is this primarily the same project we had last year or have you revised your approach? Response. This is not the same request as last year.

The Library's goal in fiscal 1991 was to obtain 100,000 sq. ft. of secondary storage, part of which would have been used for arrearage processing. This request was denied pending a survey of Legislative Branch warehouse space needs by the Architect of the Capitol (AOC).

In fiscal 1992, the Library requested funding for 50,000 sq. ft. of temporary storage space-25,000 for arrearage reduction support and 25,000 to support general collections growth. This request was also denied as the AOC continued his study.

In fiscal 1993, the Library is asking for funding to relocate its warehousing operations from Landover and convert the approximately 70,000 sq. ft. to collections storage space, thus consolidating the bulk of the Library's remoted collections in one facility. This facility will service the Library's collections storage needs until a longer range storage plan is developed, hopefully in concert with the AOC.

BUILDING RENTAL-OFF CAPITOL HILL

Question. The warehousing lease cost that you estimated last year was $11-$15 per square foot. This year, you are estimating $10. That still seems high-the GPO spends about $3. Why is it necessary to pay what appears to be such a premium when the commercial market is so weak?

Response. The estimates last year were for modified warehouse space to accommo

could lease warehouse space for $4-$6 per square foot. GSA, our current leasing agent, quoted us prices ranging from $8.92-$10.41/sq. ft.

COPYRIGHT OFFICE

Dr. BILLINGTON. Just briefly to conclude on other items, Mr. Chairman, the Copyright Office is requesting a total increase of $1.3 million, offset by our request to use $738,000 of increased receipts, for a net increase of $585,000. Congress enacted a revised copyright fee schedule that went into effect last January.

As a result of this committee's approval to use additional fee revenue, the Copyright Office has been able to reduce the time required to process routine claims from a high of 12 weeks to an average now of six weeks. Ralph Oman, our Register, will expand on these points in his testimony.

CRS

CRS has an additional $4.7 million requested, composed of $3.8 million for mandatory pay increases, $412,000 for price level changes, and $500,000 for increased access to commercial data bases, which is critical to the timeliness of responses to Congressional inquiries. Mr. Ross will elaborate on this requirement.

BOOKS FOR THE BLIND AND PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED

Finally, we are asking for an increase of $3.8 million in order to continue the Library's free national reading program for the blind and physically handicapped. The increase reflects the nature of the program, in which actual production costs dictate budgetary requirements. The increase is not represented in any new program; rather, it permits maintenance at a constant level of service to approximately 700,000 people, and Mr. Cylke can expand on this, if you like.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, the Library of Congress, we believe, is in a very special position to help the Nation move ahead in the decades to come. It can enrich and foster in many ways the pursuit of truth, as Jefferson foresaw it, making our unmatched collections and knowledgeable staff a ready and increasing source of information for Congress, and a focus of creativity for the Nation.

This is really the only place in the world, Mr. Chairman, where basically everything important that is produced by the human mind is actually read by other human beings.

Mr. FAZIO. At least once.

Dr. BILLINGTON. That produces not only the bibliographic record, but an immense store of wisdom. Part of our challenge is to free up the people who work here to apply automation more usefully, and to free them up for greater service to Congress and the Nation.

By exploiting new electronic technology, the Library can enormously increase the knowledge available to the Congress and to Americans in their local communities; in schools, colleges, libraries, private-sector research, and enterprises from Key West to An

The Library can provide on line much of the organized knowledge base needed to stimulate students and teachers and speed the work of researchers in science and technology.

The Library, in short, can play a significant role in radically upgrading local institutions of learning and research, so that even those Americans far from great universities and the most affluent schools and libraries can still have access in their local institutions to the best of the Nation's heritage and the most current information.

Technology makes this possible; properly organized and supported, this dissemination of knowledge will raise the level of intellectual activity and productivity in America.

The Library that Congress has built over 192 years is an enormous asset to the United States, with great potential to improve the Nation's future well-being.

Our budget request for fiscal year 1993 lays the foundation for realizing this potential.

Now I am aware, and this really is my last point, Mr. Chairman, that this committee faces severe budget constraints. We talked about it, and met with members of the committee, so I believe that my function is to remind you that if I did not note the progress we have made with your cooperation I would be remiss; since fiscal year 1990, the Congress really has, with the increases you have been able to give us, rebuilt its Library.

It ended the budget erosion that forced the Library to leave more than 500 positions vacant during the 1980s, and consequently accumulate this enormous arrearage problem. You enabled us to implement a serious affirmative action program, and to test new technology with which to share the Library's resources and thus reinforce local libraries and schools.

To reduce its resources now that the Library has begun to move forward would put us back to where we were in the 1980s, leading soon to a decline in services to Congress and the Nation and to lost opportunities for greater service. The Library either continues, I think, to move ahead or risk beginning a slide backward that will be very hard to stop.

My colleagues will be happy to answer your questions. We appreciate the support this Congress has given. It is a remarkable record no other country in the world has begun to match.

Statement of James H. Billington

The Librarian of Congress

before the Subcommittee on Legislative Appropriations
Committee on Appropriations

U.S. House of Representatives
Fiscal 1993 Budget Request
January 29, 1992

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee:

I appreciate the opportunity to appear here to discuss the Library of Congress budget request for fiscal year 1993.

The Library of Congress is the world's greatest and most usable repository of human knowledge. It is becoming an even more important catalyst for the educational, competitive, and creative needs of our nation.

So that we can better utilize the limited resources available, we have done extensive planning over the past several years including a comprehensive management and planning review that gathered input from a broad spectrum of individuals and groups. The Library plans to continue to sharpen its planning, making sure that every dollar appropriated is being effectively spent. During the next year, the Library will take a comprehensive look at its existing programs to ensure they are of long-term strategic importance and make any necessary recommendations to Congress for funding changes in our fiscal 1994 budget.

For fiscal 1993, we are requesting only those funds necessary to provide the best possible research and reference services to the Congress, to continue aggressively the reduction of our backlog of unprocessed materials, to maintain our traditional core services to the nation, and to begin to modernize our capability to deliver scientific and technological

The Library can provide on line much of the organized knowledge base needed to stimulate students and teachers and speed the work of researchers in science and technology.

The Library, in short, can play a significant role in radically upgrading local institutions of learning and research, so that even those Americans far from great universities and the most affluent schools and libraries can still have access in their local institutions to the best of the Nation's heritage and the most current information.

Technology makes this possible; properly organized and supported, this dissemination of knowledge will raise the level of intellectual activity and productivity in America.

The Library that Congress has built over 192 years is an enormous asset to the United States, with great potential to improve the Nation's future well-being.

Our budget request for fiscal year 1993 lays the foundation for realizing this potential.

Now I am aware, and this really is my last point, Mr. Chairman, that this committee faces severe budget constraints. We talked about it, and met with members of the committee, so I believe that my function is to remind you that if I did not note the progress we have made with your cooperation I would be remiss; since fiscal year 1990, the Congress really has, with the increases you have been able to give us, rebuilt its Library.

It ended the budget erosion that forced the Library to leave more than 500 positions vacant during the 1980s, and consequently accumulate this enormous arrearage problem. You enabled us to implement a serious affirmative action program, and to test new technology with which to share the Library's resources and thus reinforce local libraries and schools.

To reduce its resources now that the Library has begun to move forward would put us back to where we were in the 1980s, leading soon to a decline in services to Congress and the Nation and to lost opportunities for greater service. The Library either continues, I think, to move ahead or risk beginning a slide backward that will be very hard to stop.

My colleagues will be happy to answer your questions. We appreciate the support this Congress has given. It is a remarkable record no other country in the world has begun to match.