-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] <[email protected]> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Date: Tuesday, May 16, 2000 3:43 PM Subject: [EzekielFULLER] Important to Each of You >Dear fellow researchers: > >I know that many of you have ordered documents from the National Archives and >Records Administration called NARA for short. This is the federal agency >which has *our* pension records, bounty land records, military records, >passenger lists as well as other records of importance to a genealogist. > >NARA is proposing a rate increase. Not a small one to cover the cost of >living but a VERY LARGE increase! The records most often sought, the pension >records of our ancestors, will have a 400% increase in Sept. unless we make >our voices heard. > >Several years ago, when NARA was threatened with a dramatic funding cut, they >appealed to genealogist to write and express our opinions and >dissatisfaction. We did and basically *saved* them. Now it is our turn to >speak out on this issue too. > >First visit this site, it is the NARA site that tells you about the proposed >fee increases. Some of you can hyperlink and others will need to copy and >paste the page. Either way, read it carefully. Yes, it is your typical >government document full of mumble jumble and you have to wade through all of >that. But the new fees are listed. All increases are far more than a modest >increase! > >Now is the time we can act together. We can write an email, send a fax or >better yet, a snail mail letter to NARA. In addition, notify you congressman >and any other official you know to express your dissatisfaction in this most >unfair rate increase. > >The time is NOW. The cut off date for getting your opinions in is June 26, >2000. Although the increase is not scheduled until Sept., we must act now to >get them to rethink this gigantic increase. > >Thank you for reading this. Please take the time to write a similar message >to each of the mailing list you receive, and send to them as well as to each >genealogist that you personally correspond with and encourage them to do the >same. Together we can be a Million Genealogist On Line Against Fee >Increases!! > >With elections not far away, I do not think congress wants to make a VERY >Large group of constituents upset!! So go below and click or copy and see >for yourselves what is proposed and then write your letter now, not tomorrow, >not next week. NOW. > > <A HREF="http://www.nara.gov/nara/fees-pro.html">Proposed Rule NARA Fee >Schedule-36 CFR Part 1258</A> or > >http://www.nara.gov/nara/fees-pro.html > >Thanks. Gale >