[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 84 (Tuesday, June 15, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7027-S7028]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SCHUMER:
  S. 1223. A bill to provide for public library construction and 
technology enhancement; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
and Pensions.


          andrew carnegie libraries for lifelong learning act

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation 
that will prepare our nation's public libraries for the twenty-first 
century: the Andrew Carnegie Libraries for Lifelong Learning Act. Mr. 
President our nation's libraries are in crisis. Eighty-five percent of 
America's nearly 16,000 libraries require expansion or renovation. In 
New York State alone, 1.3 million citizens do not have access to free 
basic library services and nearly one-half of the state's libraries 
cannot accommodate users with disabilities.
  The Andrew Carnegie Libraries for Life-Long Learning Act is designed 
to prepare America's libraries for the twenty-first century by 
providing grants of one billion dollars over five years for 
construction, renovation, and rehabilitation of public library 
facilities. The bill will also permit libraries to use grants to 
purchase high-tech hardware and information technology so that all 
citizens can take advantage of the tools of the information age. Since 
the funds provided through this legislation must be matched dollar for 
dollar by states, cities, or private sources, billions of additional 
dollars will be leveraged. Moreover, since the grants will be awarded 
competitively, areas most in need will receive much needed assistance.
  At the turn of the twentieth century, steel magnate Andrew Carnegie 
created nearly 3,000 libraries. His impact is still being felt in 
places like Astoria, Queens, Harlem, and Port Richmond Staten Island, 
where libraries endowed by Carnegie remain in service today. Imagine 
how different America would be without this gift. Now, the information 
age is upon us and libraries must play an integral role in providing 
citizens the resources they need to succeed in a knowledge intensive 
economy. The future of America depends less on the minerals in our soil 
than our intellectual capital. Strong public libraries can serve as 
anchors in communities so that young people can receive a strong 
education and so that life-long learning can become a reality for every 
citizen. Mr. President I ask unanimous consent that the text of the 
bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

[[Page S7028]]

                                S. 1223

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Andrew Carnegie Libraries 
     for Lifelong Learning Act''.

     SEC. 2. PUBLIC LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY 
                   ENHANCEMENT.

       The Library Services and Technology Act (20 U.S.C. 9121 et 
     seq.) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating chapter 3 as chapter 4; and
       (2) by inserting after chapter 2 the following:

  ``CHAPTER 3--PUBLIC LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENT

     ``SEC. 241. GRANTS TO STATES FOR PUBLIC LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION 
                   AND TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENT.

       ``(a) In General.--From amounts appropriated under section 
     244 the Director shall carry out a program of awarding grants 
     to States that have a State plan approved under section 224 
     for the construction or technology enhancement of public 
     libraries.
       ``(b) Definitions.--In this chapter:
       ``(1) Construction.--
       ``(A) In general.--The term `construction' means--
       ``(i) construction of new buildings;
       ``(ii) the acquisition, expansion, remodeling, and 
     alteration of existing buildings;
       ``(iii) the purchase, lease, and installation of equipment 
     for any new or existing buildings; or
       ``(iv) any combination of the activities described in 
     clauses (i) through (iii), including architects' fees and the 
     cost of acquisition of land.
       ``(B) Special rule.--Such term includes remodeling to meet 
     standards under the Act entitled `An Act to insure that 
     certain buildings financed with Federal funds are so designed 
     and constructed as to be accessible to the physically 
     handicapped', approved August 12, 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4151 et 
     seq.), commonly known as the `Architectural Barriers Act of 
     1968', remodeling designed to ensure safe working 
     environments and to conserve energy, renovation or remodeling 
     to accommodate new technologies, and the purchase of historic 
     buildings for conversion to public libraries.
       ``(2) Equipment.--The term `equipment' means--
       ``(A) information and building technologies, video and 
     telecommunications equipment, machinery, utilities, built-in 
     equipment, and any necessary enclosures or structures to 
     house the technologies, equipment, machinery or utilities; 
     and
       ``(B) all other items necessary for the functioning of a 
     particular facility as a facility for the provision of 
     library services.
       ``(3) Public library.--The term `public library' means a 
     library that serves free of charge all residents of a 
     community, district, or region, and receives its financial 
     support in whole or in part from public funds. Such term also 
     includes a research library, which, for the purposes of this 
     sentence, means a library, which--
       ``(A) makes its services available to the public free of 
     charge;
       ``(B) has extensive collections of books, manuscripts, and 
     other materials suitable for scholarly research which are not 
     available to the public through public libraries;
       ``(C) engages in the dissemination of humanistic knowledge 
     through services to readers, fellowships, educational and 
     cultural programs, publication of significant research, and 
     other activities; and
       ``(D) is not an integral part of an institution of higher 
     education.
       ``(4) Technology enhancement.--The term `technology 
     enhancement' means the acquisition, installation, 
     maintenance, or replacement, of substantial technological 
     equipment (including library bibliographic automation 
     equipment) necessary to provide access to information in 
     electronic and other formats made possible by new information 
     and communications technologies.
       ``(c) Applicability.--Except as provided in section 243, 
     the provisions of this subtitle (other than this chapter) 
     shall not apply to this chapter.

     ``SEC. 242. USES OF FEDERAL FUNDS.

       ``(a) In General.--A State shall use funds appropriated 
     under section 244 to pay the Federal share of the cost of 
     construction or technology enhancement of public libraries.
       ``(b) Federal Share.--
       ``(1) In general.--For the purposes of subsection (a), the 
     Federal share of the cost of construction or technology 
     enhancement of any project assisted under this chapter shall 
     not exceed one-half of the total cost of the project.
       ``(2) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of the cost 
     of construction or technology enhancement of any project 
     assisted under this chapter may be provided from State, local 
     or private sources, including for-profit and nonprofit 
     organizations.
       ``(c) Special Rule.--If, within 20 years after completion 
     of construction of any public library facility that has been 
     constructed in part with grant funds made available under 
     this chapter--
       ``(1) the recipient of the grant funds (or its successor in 
     title or possession) ceases or fails to be a public or 
     nonprofit institution, or
       ``(2) the facility ceases to be used as a library facility, 
     unless the Director determines that there is good cause for 
     releasing the institution from its obligation,

     the United States shall be entitled to recover from such 
     recipient (or successor) an amount which bears the same ratio 
     to the value of the facility at that time (or part thereof 
     constituting an approved project or projects) as the amount 
     of the Federal grant bore to the cost of such facility (or 
     part thereof). The value shall be determined by the parties 
     or by action brought in the United States district court for 
     the district in which the facility is located.

     ``SEC. 243. DESCRIPTION INCLUDED IN STATE PLAN.

       ``Any State desiring to receive a grant under this chapter 
     for any fiscal year shall submit, as a part of the State plan 
     under section 224, a description of the public library 
     construction or technology enhancement activities to be 
     assisted under this chapter.

     ``SEC. 244. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
     chapter $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 and each of the 4 
     succeeding fiscal years.''.

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