Republican Senator Norm Coleman of Minnesota filed an amendment (3364) last Thursday, October 18, which would provide federal funding for National History Day, an important event we’ve recognized before on AHA Today. National History Day is an annual contest for students in grades 6-12 to create original papers, exhibits, documentaries, and dramatic performances around a changing theme. Coleman’s amendment, joined Friday by Democrat Daniel Akaka of Hawaii, sets aside $2 million for the program in the 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Bill, which the Senate is currently debating. National History Day director Cathy Gorn, in an e-mail to friends of the program, said, “we are thrilled that Senator Coleman has taken such a leadership role in support of National History Day,” and she encourages history professionals and advocates to “generate grassroots support to urge all Senators to vote for this amendment.”
Update: Senators Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Daniel Akaka (D-HI) have declined to bring to the floor for a vote their amendment (S.AMDT.3364), submitted last Thursday, which would have set aside $2 million in federal funds for “activities related to” National History Day. With Washington’s new sensitivity towards earmark appropriations, Coleman and Akaka decided federal funding for NHD would not happen after looking at “at the reality of the situation.” National History Day Director Cathy Gorn, in an e-mail to friends of National History Day, explained, “while NHD is not a traditional earmark, it is directed funding. Under the new definition of an earmark, it is an earmark. If you saw the amendments offered and voted on you’d actually see the vast majority were measures to strip earmarks (both traditional and directed funding) out of the bill. No senator wanted to be in a position to vote for an earmark.” Gorn expressed thanks to supporters of National History Day and stated that she believed 2008 “will be NHD’s year.”
This post first appeared on AHA Today.
