A researcher friend sent this to me and requested it be forwarded to others, so please read and respond if you are interested. This will eventually affect all researchers. From what I have learned, we will be getting the complete files, regardless of how many pages the files have in them. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > > >The NARA proposal to revamp the system and fees for providing copies of > > >Military Service Records, Bounty-Land Warrant Applications Files, and > > >Pension Application Files has been published in the 25 April 2000 issue > > >of the Federal Register. Public comment is invited and should be > > >directed to > > >NARA Regulation Comment Desk > > >8601 Adelphi Road > > >College Park, MD 20740-6001 > > >Fax: 301 713-7270 > > >The comment period closes on 26 June 2000. NARA prefers that you use > > >either the postal address or fax number to submit our comments rather > > >than e-mail. > > >A complete copy of the Federal Register notice is available from the > > >NARA Web site at http://www.nara.gov/nara/fees-pro.html. > > >The proposed Reproduction Fee Schedule covers a number of items, but the > > >Military Service Records, and the Pension and Bounty-Land Warrants are > > >of the greatest concern to genealogists. NARA proposes three major > > >changes: > > >1. The NATF Form 80 would be discontinued, to be replaced by two new > > >forms: NATF Form 85 to request both Bounty-Land Warrant application > > >files and Pension files (more than 75 years old), and NATF From 86 to > > >request Military Service Records (more than 75 years old). > > >2. For all three types of files, NARA would no longer send a selection > > >of pages, but would send the complete file. This would eliminate the > > >two-step process currently used and should be beneficial to most > > >genealogists. > > >3. The fees for all three types of files would be raised. For Military > > >Service Records the new fee would be $17.00, regardless of the number of > > >pages included in the file. For Bounty-land Warrants the fee would be > > >$17.25, again without regard to the number of pages. For Pension Files > > >the fee would be $40.00, regardless of the number of pages. > > >Finally, the proposal would go into effect on 1 September 2000, if > > >approved. > > >Many genealogists may consider the proposed fees to be excessive. NARA > > >specifically invites comment on the proposed fee schedule. The FGS/NGS > > >Records Preservation and Access Committee urges everyone who wants to > > >comment to carefully read the full proposal before submitting comments. > > >The proposed fees are intended to cover the actual cost of locating, > > >copying and mailing the records, plus 10% as authorized by law, and are > > >based on the average size of the files. NARA states that the average for > > >Military Service Records and Bounty-land Applications is somewhere under > > >20 pages, while the average for full Pension Files is 105 pages. > > >The FGS/NGS Records Preservation and Access Committee will be looking at > > >the NARA proposal carefully, and will submit comments as appropriate. > > >Individuals who would like to provide input to the Committee's > > >evaluation are welcome to do so but are also encouraged to comment > > >direct to NARA at the address given above. Comments for Committee > > >consideration should be e-mailed to fgs-access@fgs.org, or mailed to > > >Federation of Genealogical Societies, Attention: RPAC, PO Box 200940, > > >Austin, TX 78720-0940. In order for the Records Preservation and Access > > >Committee to adequately evaluate such input it must be received by 26 > > >May 2000. The deadline for comment to NARA, however, is still 26 June > > >2000. > > >Posting of this message to other mail lists is encouraged. A copy of > > >this message will also be available on the Records Preservation and > > >Access page of the FGS Web site <http://www.fgs.org/fgs-recordsnews.htm> > > >and on the NGS Web site <http://www.ngsgenealogy.org> > > >**** > > > > > > > > > Jeanette > > Alabama > > > >