roundtable: URGENT: Fax TODAY to Save OTA

roundtable: URGENT: Fax TODAY to Save OTA

URGENT: Fax TODAY to Save OTA

Richard Civille (rciville@civicnet.org)
Thu, 03 Aug 1995 16:11:14 -0400 

Message-Id: <199508032022.QAA16272@clark.net>
Date: Thu, 03 Aug 1995 16:11:14 -0400
From: rciville@civicnet.org (Richard Civille)
Subject: URGENT: Fax TODAY to Save OTA
To: <ROUNDTABLE@CNI.ORG>


Either tonight (August 3) or tomorrow, the full House will vote on a 
"motion to recommit" that could lead to the salvation of the Office 
of Technology Assessment, which currently will cease operations on 
October 1, 1995.

Without the OTA, Congress must rely more heavily on industry and special 
interest group analyses of social and economic policy shaped by rapid 
changes in technology.

OTA funding was the subject of a recent, hour long floor debate in the
House, which then voted to continue the agency with a funding cut from 
$22 million to $15 million. However, when the appropriations bill was 
referred back to committee, the agency was eliminated.

To respond immediately, do this:

1) Send a fax to your district representative's DC office that says in 
effect:

"I urge you to vote for the motion to recommit, as proposed by Rep. Vic
Fazio (D-Calif.). This motion would require the conference committee of 
HR 1854 to retain the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment. 
Retaining this important research agency was recently approved in a 
full House vote, but subsequently rejected by the committee. The 
conference committee should reverse its position to agree with the 
House vote. The motion to recommit would provide FY 96 funding of 
$12.5 million dollars. While this is close to a 50% cut over current 
levels, it would be sufficient to maintain minimum operation of the 
Office of Technology Assessment."

2) If you do not have the fax number, phone your district office and 
ask for it.

Thank you

Richard Civille
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Center for Civic Networking                      Richard Civille
  P.O. Box 53152                                   Executive Director
  Washington, D.C.  20009
  (202) 362-3831                                   rciville@civicnet.org
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