I got a series of euphoric messages from fellow OA activists rejoicing at the news that Preseident Bush was “certain” to sign the House appropriations bill. I searched for the message in Peter Suber’s blog and found …
Congress sends revised spending bill, and OA mandate for NIH, to President
This evening the House of Representatives passed an omnibus spending bill containing language requiring the NIH to adopt an OA mandate. The Senate passed the bill on Tuesday.
Because it cuts spending to the levels President Bush requested, and gives him $70 billion for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, he is expected to sign it.
The OA mandate for the NIH isn’t law yet, but it’s very, very close. Watch this space.
PMR: I am watching this space … and Alma Swan writes:
>The Appropriations Bill, with the language in about the NIH mandate, passed
>in the US Senate last night. It now *will* be signed off by President Bush.
>
>Heather deserves huge congratulations. This has been virtually a
>one-woman-led effort, and she has fought the publishers all the way, in
>every corridor and in every committee room. Now to try to emulate her in
>Brussels …
PMR: Absolutely total congratulations to Heather. I don’t know enough about whether presidential signatures are deterministic so will wait a few more days before breaking open any bottles.
And we should remember that the struggle continues.
“Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”
and why should I choose this quotation?
The president’s signature means that the bill becomes law.
At that point, the only things that can derail it are perverse interpretations by the portions of the executive branch that determine how these things are actually implemented (not likely in this particular case), or a federal court case sufficient to cause judicial overturn.
(1) Thanks Dorothea,
I am assuming that we shall be told when he signs it – then I will celebrate