Greetings, I am a fellow researcher that paid more than $30,000 last year in Federal taxes alone. What did I get for it? Not as much as it cost that is for sure. Why can't NARA automate and place their data and forms on-line the same way the IRS has all of the tax forms online to download for free? It should only cost a few pennies or so for us to perform our own searches on a wisely designed NARA web site. NARA could reasonable be expected to make a significant PROFIT by simple charging pennies per sheet if this information was made available via the Internet. $17 is outrageous! I urge all of my fellow researchers to oppose the NARA rate increases by creating a message to your own Congressional representatives (look under www.senate.gov or www.house.gov to find their email addresses. Enclosed, below is my sample response addressed to NARA, my representatives, a local newspaper, the White House, and even the Governor of my state opposing the direction (higher fees and more paperwork) that NARA is proposing. Please pass this message on to fellow researchers. ----- Original Message ----- To: <comments@nara.gov> Cc: <senator@robb.senate.gov>; <senator@warner.senate.gov>; <GovenorsOffice@gov.state.va.us>; <ombudsman@washpost.com>; <vice-president@whitehouse.gov>; <president@whitehouse.gov>; <RWR-Editors@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, May 15, 2000 8:44 PM Subject: NARA Reproduction Fee Schedule Dear Representatives and NARA Officials, This message is to express that the newly proposed fees to be collected by NARA is wrong headed. NARA has recently proposed to revise its schedule of fees for reproduction of records and other materials in the custody of the Archivist of the United States. This proposed rule covers production of Federal records created by other agencies that are in the National Archives of the United States, donated historical materials, Presidential records, Nixon Presidential historical materials, certain Federal agency records in NARA Federal records centers, and records filed with the Office of the Federal Register. According the NARA the fees are being changed to reflect current costs of providing the reproductions. This rule will affect members of the public and Federal agencies who order reproductions from NARA. It is clear that NARA is heading in the wrong direction with regards to the manner in which it conducts business. Instead of seeking to continue doing more business at higher fees, via the same old paper filled process, NARA should be rapidly moving to online (Internet) web based customer shopping and lower fees. The Internal Revenue Service web site has provided an outstanding example of how to disseminate government held information at zero or significantly reduced costs. The Congress should appoint a special investigative committee to learn why NARA cannot follow the footsteps of dozens of other Federal agencies and private industry by lowering the costs of information retrieved electronically via the Internet. This new NARA proposal is little more than mismanagement in a modern era where information is rapidly becoming a cheap commodity. Higher taxes and/or higher fees are not the correct operational solutions for the new century. Efficient management, reduced cost, and easy access is where NARA and the Federal government must head. Sincerely, Add your own Name and Postal Address Here or Your Congressmen will not respond!