The American Library Association (ALA) has sent out the following announcement.

CONGRESS PLANS TO FINISH FY05 SPENDING BILLS BEFORE THANKSGIVING House and Senate Republican leaders, following Tuesday's sweeping Republican victories in the White House and Congress, plan to make quick work of the planned lame-duck session so they can start with a clean slate and newly invigorated majorities when the 109th Congress begins in January.

Republican leaders will press for swift agreement on FY05 appropriations bills soon after Election Day, with an eye toward adjournment by Thanksgiving (Nov. 25). That could make for a long legislative week when lawmakers return on Nov. 16, with nine of 13 spending bills and a must-pass increase in the statutory debt limit left to tackle. While Senate Majority Leader Frist and Senate Appropriations Chairman Stevens have made clear their preference for completing work before Thanksgiving, they will have to overcome $8 billion in differences between Senate and House spending levels.

Congress must keep the government funded by either passing an omnibus spending bill or a continuing resolution, known as a CR, that would punt the issue until the next Congress.

ALA is urging its members to contact their Congressional members in support of the funding levels approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee for LSTA and the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program. ALA is also urging for increased funding for the Title V education program, the Government Printing Office, the National Agriculture Library, and many other library related programs.