Volume 14, Number 5
Aug 1990

News

It Looks Good for the Pell/Williams Resolution

House Joint Resolution 226, Resolution Establishing a National Policy an Permanent Papers, went to the floor of the House August 2. The plan is to take it up under suspension when Congress returns in September, and then send it on to the Senate. This means it does not have to go through the Rules Committee. Since the bill is noncontroversial, it is not expected to be delayed by debate and a voice vote is acceptable. House-Senate differences in wording have been settled informally, so a conference committee will not be necessary.

This information was sent by Barbara Goldsmith. Others who are keeping close track and promoting the bill's passage are Am Russell, Charles Kalina and the ALA Washington Office (Carol Henderson).

Standard for Identifying Inks is Planned

A new task group an Comparison and Identification of Writing Inks will develop standards to assist a forensic examiner in comparing or identifying writing inks on a document to determine their legitimacy or fraudulence. Part of ASTM Subcommittee E30.02 on Questioned Documents, the group will create standards that can be used in conducting analyses necessary for comparing or identifying irks. The group seeks participants. It will meet during the next meeting of Committee E-30 on Forensic Sciences, Feb. 17-18, 1991, in Anaheim, California, in conjunction with the meetings of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Contact Larry Stewart, U.S. Secret Service, Forensic Sciences Div., 1800 G St., NW, Rm. 929, Washington, DC 20223 (202/535-5926); or Gloria Collins, ASTM (215/299-5510). (From ASTM Standardization News, Aug. 1990]

Independent Evaluations of Mass Deacidification Methods

Anne Lienardy in Belgian and Helmut Bansa in Germany are said to be conducting independent evaluations of all available mass deacidification systems.