Received this information from one of my mailing lists and think it worthy of passing along. Many of us have used, or will use, NARA in the future. These fee increases are substantial. Please read. NARA website with fees at end of message. Subject: Fwd: NARA Fee Increases > Here's something of interest to genealogists: > > NARA Fee Increases > > Dear fellow researchers: > > I know that many of you have ordered documents from 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. http://www.nara.gov/nara/fees-pro.html