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Appropriations House Committee on Appropriations Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Chairman Cole and Ranking Member DeLauro: We write to urge your support for the education, workforce, and economic development needs of Americans by providing $186.

1 ~ungri~a uf t~i~ Uniti~i ~tati~ ~t~!ifl~tdfl, ~(! 2fl~15 April 6, 2017 The Honorable Tom Cole. The Honorable Rosa DeLauro Chairman Ranking Member Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Services, and Education House Committee on Appropriations House Committee on Appropriations Washington, D.C Washington, D.C Dear Chairman Cole and Ranking Member DeLauro: We write to urge your support for the education, workforce, and economic development needs of Americans by providing $186.6 million for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) in the fiscal year 2018 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill. Libraries serve a vital role in our communities. Even as the economy shows signs of improvement, patrons continue to turn to their local library for free access to essential information on a wide range of topics, skills training, and computing services. Every day, libraries across the country provide no-fee public access to computers and the nternet in some of our most distressed communities. According to a recent American Library Association (ALA) report, 65 percent of all libraries nationwide say they are the only provider of free nternet access in their communities. n rural areas, 73 percent of libraries report they serve as their community s only free nternet provider. This access is critical at a time when applications for many jobs and government services must be filled out online. Libraries, however, provide more than just nternet access. According to another ALA report, more than 92 percent of public libraries offer services that help patrons conduct job searches, create resumes, access training for technology and technical skills, and innovate through the use of 3-D printers and makerspaces. Libraries also provide resources and specialized collections for small businesses to help in the creation of business plans and the development of new growth strategies. Moreover, libraries expose children to books and information to help them gain and enhance their literacy skills. Numerous surveys show that many of our nation s children living in poverty have very limited access to books at home. These children depend on their local libraries story time and summer reading programs to help them prepare to learn in school and succeed. Unfortunately, in the Trump administration budget blueprint, many libraries are facing cuts and severe budget pressures, leading to closures and reduced hours. LSTA is the only federal PRNTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

2 program that helps public libraries meet community needs, provide enhanced services through technology, reach underserved populations, and retain librarians while recruiting new entrants to this important field. Consisting of a state formula program, which is amplified by a state match, and competitive grants, LSTA is more essential now than ever. We urge you to provide $186.6 million thicyear, andii~ie~cthan currentfuiidihkfoithe grants to states program. With this funding level, we can help ensure that Americans of all ages have access to libraries, nternet, and information services; the resources they need to develop literacy skills and achieve academically; and the services and tools to search for, find, and create jobs. Thank you for your continued support in sustaining and strengthening our nation s libraries. Sincerely, ~ ül M. Grijalva Alma S. Adams 1 ~ - S Nanette Diaz Barra ~án yc~1 catty - mber of Congress Ami Bera.~ Eddie Be nic Member of C A~Lá U Sanfor f ishop Earl Blumenauer Membe if Congress

3 ~.4~L E eth H. Esty Bill Foster ber of Congress Lois Frankel Marcia Fudge O rj~,k (&Lj*W4L- Tulsi Gabbard ramendi 1t~1 r of Congress Vicente onzalez Al Green,,1 Denny Heck Brian Higgins AA p ~ ~ ~red Huff an Sheila Jackson Lee Member of C.~ ess Pramila JaYai~ William R. Keating

4 -r07~1~ Tom O Halleran Fran Pallone, Jr. A1~ ~. my Pane a Bill Pascrell, Jr. V ember of Congress A~ ~ ( 6 Donald M. Pay. Chellie Pingree Stacey E. askett Mark Pocan Member ~f Congress Jare~olis (~ - Mike Quigley Menikr of CoAgress Member of Cong s J c Raskln Cedric L. Richmond ember of Congress Gregorlo Kilili Ca cho Sablan. Schakowsky ber of Congress

5 p Michelle Lujan Grisham Stephe~ ynch ~ ~L~ P ~ Carolyn L Maloney ~oc i$ (1~~*Lw Doris Matsui Sean Patrick Maloney J es P. McGovern, ~erry ~ - 1erney V _ gory. Meeks A Stephanie urphy Jerrold Nadler F. Napolit no,~..j E. Neal ~ ember of Congress g1~d L Rick Nolan Eleanor Holmes Norton

6 f~ Paul D. Tonko Filemon Vela Nydia M. Velázquez W Maxine aters A A _ Bonnie Watson Coleman Peter Welch ~, ~. Frederica S. Wilson J n Yarmuth ember of Co tress f Don Young Cheri Bustos Member of Con -ss 6 V loyd Doggett Ad Dwight vans Hakeem Jeff 1s. Luis Correa

7 0 1 p ~ -~ Lisa B nt Rochester Anthony Brown. b ulia Brownley.4 O0C1) Michael E. Capuano Salud Carbajal André Carson Kat y Castor Judy Ch 9 ~1. David N. Cicilline aha Mem ~ ~ ~ ~ngress William Lacy a ( ~,1 Adohen Ad~ ~ G~.ld.Con

8 LL~ Ro Khanna Ron Kind Ann McLane Kuster angevin em.er of Congress -~ 9 1 Rick Larsen Wn B. Larson, F ~ F- Al Lawson Barbara Lee 1 ~A. A Sander Levin i Lewis ~ ber of Congress Ted W. Lieu Dave Loebsack Alan Lowenthal Ben Ray Luja

9 Ruben Gaflego Linda T. Sanchez Me ber of Congress si~ 6 Gwen Moore Colleen Hanabusa Member of Congres Butterfield Marc Veasey 4. - ber of Congress Member of Congres L4L&Z;9LlLk~~ Daniel W. Lipinski Bobby L. ush A Chin ~1 4i A. Donald McEachin Seth Moulton Joseph P. Kenn dy, aren Bass Ji Gottheimer enry C.. Johnson, Jr. - mber of Congress

10 A~7 dam B. Schiff Bradley S. Schneider ~< david Scott.~ ~OwdC Tern Sewell.5 Carol Shea-Porter P A ilal ~1 ~ - bio Sires 1~ 1i ouise M. S aughter Darren Soto ~ ie Speier~ m. er of Congress 7, Elise Stefanik Thomas Suozzi 1 ark Takano, ~ Mike Thompson 1 Dma Titus

11 Joe Courtney Elij ummings Me b of Congress J:~ usan A. Davis Danny. avis, Peter A. DeFazi Diana DeGette John K. Delaney k ~. A A -~ Mark DeSaulnier Theodore E. Deutch Debbie Dingell, L eith Ellison ~ Eliot L. Engel nna G. Eshoo Adriano Espaillat

12 4L~ Christopher H. Smith Suzan Bonamici 7:~ z~ 4Dmi~ j 5~u~- rue Crist (.-avci&w~ Norma J. Torres Tony Ca enas Raja Kris namoorthi John Sarbanes K ten Sinema Me er of Congress 14 JL~k- ~D. Niki Tsongas A S e D. Clarke

Qtnngri~s uf tt~ Thiiti~ ~taii~s U1~1~ingtnu, ~3QL 0515

Qtnngri~s uf tt~ Thiiti~ ~taii~s U1~1~ingtnu, ~3QL 0515 Qtnngri~s uf tt~ Thiiti~ ~tai~s U1~1~ingtnu, ~3QL 0515 March 24, 2016 The Honorable Tom Cole The Honorable Rosa DeLauro Chairman Ranking Member Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Subcommittee on Labor,