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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Please read below and contact your rep today. E-rate funding is important to many types of libraries in Michigan and this amendment could be harmful.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Emily Sheketoff [mailto:esheketoff@alawash.org] <br><b>Sent:</b> Monday, July 14, 2014 6:01 PM<br><b>To:</b> alacro-l@ala.org<br><b>Subject:</b> [alacro-l] Libraries Need Your Help<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Please call your U.S. Representative today and encourage him or her not to support any amendment that would thwart the FCC’s ability to increase funds to the Federal E-rate program.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Rumors are circulating around Capitol Hill this week of a possible amendment to the House Financial Services Appropriations bill that would limit the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) ability to increase funds to the Federal E-rate program. We expect this amendment to be voted on the House floor sometime within the next 48 to 72 hours. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>If such an amendment were to pass and become law, it would be very damaging to the E-rate program. The E-rate program is part of the Universal Service Fund, which is overseen by the FCC. Through this program, libraries and schools receive discounts on telecommunications services including high capacity broadband. Many libraries count on these funds to provide internet services to their users.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>