Lynne Cheney Nominated to Head NEH. On March 24, 1986 the White House formally notified Lynne Cheney of her nomination as Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Cheney, who received a PhD from the University of Wisconsin in literature, is currently a senior editor of the Washingtonian Magazine. She has written two novels and taught literature at the University of Wyoming and George Washington University. Her confirmation hearing is expected this spring. Many members of the scholarly community, who opposed the earlier nomination of Edward Curran, which subsequently led to Senatorial rejection, have expressed approval of the selection of Cheney.
John Agresto Being Informally Considered for Archivist. On March 25 indications were that the name of Don Wilson, Director of the Gerald R. Ford Library would be forwarded by the White House Personnel Office to the Senate as the President’s nominee for Archivist. Three days later the name of John Agresto, the acting Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities, had been informally submitted to the Republican leadership in the Senate for their reaction. No formal nomination has been made at this time. Both Wilson and Agresto have strong supporters among those close to the White House and some feel that the struggle for the nomination is not over. The April 3 Detroit News reported that President Reagan had the previous week approved a memo to appoint Wilson and explained the last minute switch to Agresto by stating that “several sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the White House had been ‘trying to find a place for their people,’ and suddenly put the name of Agresto up for consideration.”
There has been considerable support within the archival and historical communities for Don Wilson who has had strong letters of endorsement from leaders in the Society of American Archivists, the Organization of American Historians, and the American Association of State and Local History, all noting his qualifications as an archivist, historian, administrator, and non-partisan professional. Although a few historians have voiced some lukewarm support for Agresto, most historians have expressed concern over the possible nomination because it is feared he would politicize the Archives and because he is neither an archivist, historian, nor seasoned administrator. Following the announcement in October 1984 by Robert Warner of his plan to resign as Archiyist, the NCC member organizations developed a list of recommended qualifications for Archivist: a non-partisan professional, an experienced manager, a commitment to working within the new information environment, the capacity to assert a leadership role for the Archives, and the stature to work effectively with other agency heads and members of Congress.
House Hearing Held on Government Policy Affecting Libraries. On April 8, 1986, the House Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education held a hearing on the long-term effects of some of the Administration’s policy and budgetary decisions affecting all federally funded library programs. At the invitation of the Committee, I spoke of the impact of some of these policies on scholarly research. The testimony emphasized the Library of Congress budget cuts that have resulted in reduction of hours, acquisitions, and cataloging; Office of Management and Budget’s Circular A-76 that allows for private contracting of federal libraries; Office of Management and Budget’s Circular A-130 that decreases public access to government information and publications; the Government Printing Office’s recent letter to members of Congress restricting the distribution of bills and hearing reports to the public; and the White House Committee on Libraries that calls for a second White House Conference on Libraries to address the current issues confronting libraries.
Historic Preservation Funds To Be Restored. In early February as a part of the President’s announcement of the FY’87 budget recommendations, he announced the rescission of 79 percent of the $21 million appropriated in the 1986 budget for the state historic preservation program. From the date of the President’s request for rescission, the Congress had forty five legislative days to approve the rescinded funds. The forty-five-day clock will run out on April 22. Indications are that the House and Senate do not plan to endorse the rescinded funds. The money should be available to the states by late April.
