S 3227 ISCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To authorize the Archivist of the United States to make grants to States for the preservation and dissemination of historical records.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

April 19, 2010CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. HATCH (for himself, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. BENNETT, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. KERRY, Mrs. SHAHEEN, and Mr. SCHUMER) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental AffairsCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To authorize the Archivist of the United States to make grants to States for the preservation and dissemination of historical records.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Preserving the American Historical Record Act’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) Much of the American historical record, such as evidence of births, education, marriage, divorce, property owned, obligations satisfied, and criminal conduct, is held at the State and local level by organizations that preserve the records that protect the rights of the Nation.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) The United States has recognized the importance of history by its support of national institutions such as the National Archives, the Library of Congress, and the Smithsonian Institution. Yet, this support is not adequate to reach the rest of the Nation’s archives being held in State and local historical societies, archives, and library history collections.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) More resources need to be directed to State and local organizations to ensure essential care of documents and archival records in their many forms so that they can be readily used by the people of this Nation.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) History connects people to community--whether the community is a family, a neighborhood, a city, a State, or a Nation. Connections to the past are essential to sustaining democracy, educating students, creating a sense of place in family and community, supporting information needs in business and legal affairs, and making reasoned decisions about the Nation’s future direction.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

The purposes of this Act are--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) to protect historical records from harm, to prolong their life, and to preserve them for public use, through the use of electronic records initiatives and plans for disaster preparedness, recovery, and other preservation activities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) to use historical records in new and creative ways to convey the importance of State, territorial, and community history, including the development of teaching materials for elementary, secondary, and postsecondary teachers, active participation in National History Day, and support for lifelong learning opportunities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) to provide education and training to archivists and others who care for historical records, ensuring that they have the necessary knowledge and skills to fulfill their important responsibilities; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) to create a wide variety of access tools, including archival finding aids, documentary editions, indexes, and images of key records maintained on Internet websites of State and local organizations.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. AUTHORITY TO MAKE GRANTS.

The Archivist shall make grants under this Act to States to carry out programs consistent with the purposes of this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. USE OF GRANT AMOUNTS.

(a) Requirements- The Archivist may not award grants to any State under this Act unless--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the State agrees to use grant amounts only to carry out programs consistent with the purposes of this Act;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) the State certifies the availability of State or private funds, or an in-kind equivalent, equal to half the amount of the grant to be awarded to the State; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) the State ensures that grant amounts are used to supplement, and not supplant, non-Federal funds that would otherwise be available for those purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Additional Conditions- The Archivist may require additional terms and conditions in connection with the use of grant amounts provided under this Act as the Archivist considers appropriate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 6. STATE ALLOCATIONS.

(a) In General- The Archivist shall award grant amounts under this Act in accordance with this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Calculation of Allocations- The Archivist shall allocate funds made available to carry out this Act to the States as follows:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) 10 percent of the total available funds divided equally among the States.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) 82 percent of such funds allotted to the States on the basis of their relative total population, adjusted every decade based on the United States Census.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) 8 percent of such funds allotted to the States by geographic size.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) State Grants- From funds allocated under subsection (b), the Archivist shall make grants to the State archival administrative agency of each State.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Reallocation- The State archival administrative agency shall return any funds received under subsection (c) that the State archival administrative agency does not obligate within one year of receiving a grant, and the Archivist shall reallocate such funds to the remaining States in accordance with subsection (b).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Consultation With State Archivists and Secretaries of State- In carrying out this section, the Archivist shall consult with State archivists, State secretaries of state, or other appropriate State and local officials who have administrative responsibilities for archival functions.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 7. APPLICATION.

The Archivist may award grant amounts under this Act only to a State that has submitted an application to the Archivist at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Archivist may require.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 8. REVIEW AND SANCTIONS.

(a) Annual Report by State- Each State receiving funds under this Act during a calendar year shall provide to the Archivist, no later than January 31 of the following year, a report on activities supported by such funds during the previous calendar year.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Annual Review- The Archivist shall review annually the report provided by each State under subsection (a) to determine the extent to which the State has complied with the provisions of this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Imposition of Sanctions- The Archivist may impose sanctions on any State for any failure to comply substantially with the provisions of this Act. The Archivist shall establish the sanctions to be imposed for a failure to comply substantially with the provisions of this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 9. ANNUAL REPORT.

Not later than April 1 of each year, the Archivist shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives a report describing the activities carried out under this Act and containing any related information that the Archivist considers appropriate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 10. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) STATE- The term ‘State’ means each State, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) ARCHIVIST- The term ‘Archivist’ means the Archivist of the United States appointed under section 2103 of title 44, United States Code.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) HISTORICAL RECORD- The term ‘historical record’ means unpublished materials created or received by a person, family, or organization, public or private, in the conduct of their affairs that are preserved because of the enduring value contained in the information they contain or as evidence of the functions and responsibilities of their creator.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) STATE ARCHIVIST- The term ‘State Archivist’ means the individual mandated by law within each State with responsibility for managing the archival records of State government.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) STATE ARCHIVAL ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY- The term ‘State archival administrative agency’ means the agency mandated by law within each State with the responsibility for managing the archival records of State government.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 11. REGULATIONS.

The Archivist shall prescribe any regulations necessary to carry out this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 12. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Archivist $50,000,000 each fiscal year for 5 fiscal years, beginning with the first fiscal year beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act, to make grants under this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink