From Peter Suber's Open Access News:
http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/2007_07_15_fosblogarchive.html#6464568038720704020
A mandate for NIH clears another hurdle
Over the weekend I and many others spread the word that the House of
Representatives would vote Tuesday, July 17, on the appropriations
bill establishing an OA mandate at the NIH. Here's an update.
The bill did move to the House floor on Tuesday (yesterday). But the
bill must be read aloud before the vote and it's a large bill,
containing appropriations for all the agencies and programs in three
federal departments (Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education).
The reading started yesterday and continues today. It's proceeding
as I write. It may end later today or it may not end until tomorrow.
The last chance to offer an amendment on a given section is the moment
when that section comes up in the reading. The section creating the
OA mandate (§217) was just read a few minutes ago. The amendment
window opened briefly and then closed. No amendments were offered.
We've cleared a major hurdle. Publisher organizations have been
unusually intense and well-organized in lobbying to amend or strike
this language. They may have had some House members on their side
but, if so, they retreated and the strong language survived intact.
This victory reflects the groundswell of public support for OA at
the NIH. House members definitely heard the message. For all of
you who contacted your representative and urged others to do so,
thank you.
We still await the House vote, which should come later today or
tomorrow, and then the Senate vote, which is still unscheduled.
Then we'll need a Presidential signature.
Peter Suber, Open Access News
http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/2007_07_15_fosblogarchive.html#6464568038720704020
Received on Thu Jul 19 2007 - 21:22:26 BST