[Senate Report 106-466]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 914
106th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 106-466
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL TO AMEND TITLE 44, UNITED STATES CODE, TO AUTHORIZE
APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PUBLICATIONS AND RECORDS
COMMISSION FOR FISCAL YEARS 2002 THROUGH 2005
__________
R E P O R T
of the
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
UNITED STATES SENATE
to accompany
H.R. 4110
TO AMEND TITLE 44, UNITED STATES CODE, TO AUTHORIZE APPROPRIATIONS FOR
THE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PUBLICATIONS AND RECORDS COMMISSION FOR FISCAL
YEARS 2002 THROUGH 2005
October 3 (legislative day, September 22), 2000.--Ordered to be printed
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
79-010 WASHINGTON : 2000
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
FRED THOMPSON, Tennessee, Chairman
WILLIAM V. ROTH, Jr., Delaware JOSEPH I. LIEBERMAN, Connecticut
TED STEVENS, Alaska CARL LEVIN, Michigan
SUSAN M. COLLINS, Maine DANIEL K. AKAKA, Hawaii
GEORGE VOINOVICH, Ohio RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois
PETE V. DOMENICI, New Mexico ROBERT G. TORRICELLI, New Jersey
THAD COCHRAN, Mississippi MAX CLELAND, Georgia
ARLEN SPECTER, Pennsylvania JOHN EDWARDS, North Carolina
JUDD GREGG, New Hampshire
Hannah S. Sistare, Staff Director and Counsel
Susan G. Marshall, Professional Staff Member
Joyce A. Rechtschaffen, Minority Staff Director and Counsel
Peter A. Ludgin, Minority Professional Staff Member
Darla D. Cassell, Chief Clerk
Calendar No. 914
106th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 106-466
======================================================================
AMENDING TITLE 44, UNITED STATES CODE, TO AUTHORIZE APPROPRIATIONS FOR
THE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PUBLICATIONS AND RECORDS COMMISSION FOR FISCAL
YEARS 2002 THROUGH 2005
_______
October 3, (legislative day, September 22), 2000.--Ordered to be
printed
_______
Mr. Thompson, from the Committee on Governmental Affairs, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 4110]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Governmental Affairs, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 4110) to amend title 44, United States Code, to
authorize appropriations for the National Historical
Publications and Records Commission for fiscal years 2002
through 2005, having considered the same, reports favorably
thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
I. Background and Need for the Legislation...........................1
II. Legislative History...............................................3
III.Section-by-Section Analysis.......................................3
IV. Regulatory Impact Statement.......................................4
V. CBO Cost Estimate.................................................4
VI. Changes to Existing Law...........................................5
I. Background and Need for Legislation
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission
(NHPRC), provides grants to archivists, historians, State and
local governments, and non-Federal agencies and institutions
across the Nation to support a wide range of activities to
preserve, publish, and encourage the use of documentary sources
relating to the history of the United States. H.R. 4110 would
reauthorize the Commission to continue its important work,
setting an authorization cap at $10 million annually from
fiscal year 2002 to fiscal year 2005. The NHPRC, which is
affiliated with the National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA), complements National Archives' work in
protecting vital American documents. Unlike the National
Archives, which maintains Federal records, the Commission
assists non-Federal historical societies, institutions, non-
profit organizations, universities, State and local
governments, and individuals.
In 1934, both NARA and the Commission, then called the
National Historical Publications Commission, were formed with
the latter charged to support the publication of the papers of
America's important people and events. In 1974, 40 years after
the creation of the Commission, (under Public Law 93-536)
Congress expanded the Commission's focus to include archival
records, giving the Commission authority to work for the
collection, preservation, and increased access to records, in
addition to its work with historical publications.
The Commission is composed of 15 members and is chaired by
the Archivist of the United States. Seven of the members are
appointed by the Judicial, Executive, and Legislative branches
of the Federal Government. Professional societies of
archivists, historians, documentary editors, and Government
records administrators, and the Librarian of Congress appoint
the remaining Commission members. Commission members review all
eligible project proposals, recommend to the Archivist those
grants they believe should be funded, and are instrumental in
developing the goals and programs for the Commission. The
Commission's administrative staff implements Commission
policies and recommendations, provides assistance and advice to
potential applicants, advises the Commission on proposals, and
supervises the grants they award.
The NHPRC is the only national grant-making organization in
the Nation whose sole focus is the preservation and publication
of America's documentary history. This year, the Commission
received $6.25 million of its maximum $10 million available
appropriation. Sixty percent of this money was awarded to
projects addressing the Commission's three major goals, and the
remaining 40 percent helped fund other projects, including
documentary editions, and archival preservation and cataloguing
projects(e.g., papers and photographs). The Commission supports
the professional development of archivists, documentary editors, and
record-keepers through fellowships, institutes, conferences, workshops,
and other programs. In addition, the Commission has undertaken a number
of projects that focus on the records of under-documented groups, such
as Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific
Islanders, and other ethnic and interest groups, and social and
political movements.
The Commission's Strategic Plan has identified three major
goals over the next three years:
(1) The NHPRC will continue its work toward the timely
completion of its Founding Fathers Projects, which includes
collecting, transcribing, annotating and publishing the papers
of George Washington, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas
Jefferson, and James Madison. It will also continue to work on
papers that document the Ratification of the Constitution, the
First Federal Congress, and the early Supreme Court.
(2) The NHPRC will promote broad public participation in
historical documentation by collaborating with State Historical
Records Advisory Boards (SHRABs) to plan and carry out jointly
funded programs to strengthen the Nation's archival
infrastructure and expand the range of records that are
protected and accessible. Commission grants help fund these
advisory boards in the States and U.S. Territories. The
Commission also awards the States regrants, (funds that are
matched by the States) that the State then provides to projects
within the State. Over the past five years, the NHPRC awarded
more than $3.7 million in regrants, which funded 600 projects.
(3) Finally, the Commission provides leadership in funding
research-and-development programs on appraising, preserving,
disseminating, and providing access to important documentary
sources in electronic form. The NHPRC has awarded $425,000 in
grants to support the non-Federal portion of the United States
team working on International Research on Permanent Authentic
Records in Electronic Systems, known as the InterPARES project.
The InterPARES project is an international project in which
countries, including Italy, China, and Japan, work together
with the United States on the permanent preservation of
authentic electronic records. In addition, the NHPRC awarded
$300,000 to the San Diego Supercomputer Center for a project to
continue the Center's work; and, specifically, to look at the
scalability and usefulness of the technology it is developing
to maintain and provide long-term access to electronic records
in archives smaller than NARA. The NHPRC recently launched a
major initiative to broaden the base and raise the level of
archival expertise in electronic record-keeping throughout the
Nation. Without this work, Federal, State, and local records
could be lost, due to the dynamic growth and sophistication of
new technology.
Reauthorizing the Commission will ensure the Commission's
continued work on these and other important projects.
II. Legislative History
No hearings were held on H.R. 4110 by the Committee on
Governmental Affairs. The committee marked up the bill
September 27, 2000, without objection or amendments. On March
29, 2000 Chairman Stephen Horn, Subcommittee on Government
Management, Information and Technology introduced H.R. 4110, a
bill to reauthorize the National Historical Publications and
Records Commission from Fiscal Year 2002 through Fiscal Year
2005. On April 4, 2000, the Subcommittee on Government
Management, Information and Technology held a legislative
hearing on the bill. Chairman Horn heard testimony from
archivists and historians working to preserve documents of
historical significance.
No amendments were offered at the subcommittee level.
III. Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1. Short title
Section 1 authorizes funding for the National Historical
Publications and Records Commission.
It amends Section 2504(f)(1) of title 4 of the U.S. Code in
subparagraphs (J) and (K), adding ``and'' to include new
subparagraphs (L O), which would fund the Commission for fiscal
year 2002 to fiscal year 2005.
IV. Regulatory Impact Statement
H.R. 4110 would reauthorize the appropriation of $10
million--the amount authorized for fiscal year 2001--to the
National Historical Publications and Records Commission for
each of the fiscal years 2002 through 2005. The Commission
received an appropriation of $6.25 million in 2000, and the
President has requested $6 million for the Commission in fiscal
year 2001. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that
implementing H.R. 4110 would increase costs by $34 million over
the fiscal years of 2002 through 2005, assuming appropriations
of the authorized amounts. Because the bill would not affect
direct spending or receipts, pay-as-you-go procedures would not
apply.
H.R. 4110 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA)
and would impose no costs to State, local or tribal
governments.
V. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, September 29, 2000.
Hon. Fred Thompson,
Chairman, Committee on Governmental Affairs,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 4110, an act to
amend title 44, United States Code, to authorize appropriations
for the National Historical Publications and Records Commission
for fiscal years 2002 through 2005.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is John R.
Righter.
Sincerely,
Barry B. Anderson
(For Dan L. Crippen, Director).
Enclosure.
H.R. 4110--An act to amend title 44, United States Code, to authorize
appropriations for the National Historical Publications and
Records Commission for fiscal years 2002 through 2005
Summary: H.R. 4110 would authorize the appropriation of $10
million--the same amount authorized for 2001--to the National
Historical Publications and Records Commission for each of
fiscal years 2002 through 2005. The Commission received an
appropriation of $4.25 million in 2000. CBO estimates that
implementing H.R. 4110 would cost $34 million over the fiscal
year 2002-2005 period, assuming appropriations of the
authorized amounts. Because the legislation would not affect
direct spending or receipts, pay-as-you-go procedures would not
apply. H.R. 4110 contains no intergovernmental or private-
sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
(UMRA) and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal
governments.
Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated
budgetary impact of H.R. 4110 is shown in the following table.
This estimate assumes that the amounts authorized will be
appropriated and that spending will occur at historical rates.
The costs of this legislation fall within budget function 800
(general government).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
-----------------------------------------------
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION
Commission Spending Under Current Law:
Authorization Level \1\..................................... 4 10 0 0 0 0
Estimated Outlays........................................... 6 8 5 1 0 0
Proposed Changes:
Authorization Level......................................... 0 0 10 10 10 10
Estimated Outlays........................................... 0 0 5 9 10 10
Commission Spending Under H.R. 4110:
Authorization Level \1\..................................... 4 10 10 10 10 10
Estimated Outlays........................................... 6 8 10 10 10 10
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The 2000 level is the amount appropriated for that year.
Pay-as-you-go considerations: None.
Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: The
legislation contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on state,
local, or tribal governments.
Previous CBO cost estimate: On May 25, 2000, CBO
transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 4110 as ordered reported
by the House Committee on Governmental Reform on May 18, 2000.
The two versions of the legislation are identical, as are our
cost estimates.
Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: John R. Righter.
Impact on State and Local Governments: Susan Sieg Tompkins.
Impact on the Private Sector: Paige Piper/Bach.
Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
VI. Changes to Existing Law
Changes in existing law made by the bill, as reported, are
shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted is
enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italic,
existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman):
SECTION 2504 OF TITLE 44, UNITED STATES CODE
2504. Duties; authorization of grants for historical
publications and records programs; authorization for
appropriations
(a) * * *
* * * * * * *
(f)(1) For the purposes specified in this section, there is
hereby authorized to be appropriated to the National Historical
Publications and Records Commission--
(A) * * *
* * * * * * *
(J) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2000; and
(K) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2001; and
(L) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2002;
(M) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2003;
(N) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; and
(O) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2005.
* * * * * * *
National Archives and
Records Administration,
College Park, MD, July 25, 2000.
Hon. Fred Thompson,
Chairman, Committee on Governmental Affairs,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: I would like to ask for your assistance
in a matter of great importance to the historical preservation
community and by extension to the American public. As you are
aware, H.R. 4110, a bill to reauthorize the National Historical
Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), was passed by the
House of Representatives today and is being sent to the Senate
for consideration. The NHPRC provides grants to archivists,
historians, State and local governments, and non-Federal
agencies and institutions across the nation to support a wide
range of activities to preserve, publish, and encourage the use
of documentary sources relating to the history of the United
States. H.R. 4110 would authorize the Commission to continue
its important work, setting an authorization cap at $10 million
annually through 2005, identical to the current funding cap.
The NHPRC, which is affiliated with the National Archives and
Records Administration (NARA), complements National Archives'
work in protecting vital American documents. Unlike the
National Archives, which maintains Federal records, the
Commission assists non-Federal historical societies,
institutions, non-profit organizations, universities, State and
local governments, and individuals. Your colleague, Senator
Jeffords, is currently serving with distinction as the Senate
representative on the Commission.
Whatever could be done procedurally to ensure Senate action
on H.R. 4110 this session would be greatly appreciated by the
Commission and the many publics that it serves. If we may be of
assistance in providing further information to you or your
staff, please call on us.
Sincerely,
John W. Carlin,
Archivist of the United States.
------
Department of State,
Tennessee State Library and Archives,
Nashville, TN, August 2, 2000.
Hon. Fred Thompson,
U.S. Senator from Tennessee, Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC.
Dear Senator Thompson: H.R. 4110, reauthorization for the
National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC)
is pending before the Governmental Affairs Committee. Continued
NHPRC grant funding for local archives preservation projects is
crucial to encouraging state and local investment to preserve
the historical experience of Tennessee citizens. I affirm this
from my experience as Assistant State Archivist and chair of
the Tennessee Historical Records Advisory Board that recommends
projects to NHPRC for funding.
In the past two years I have examined records and records
keeping practices of more than half the courthouses in
Tennessee. Again and again I have noted a direct connection
between the trust that local citizens have in local government
and the confidence they have in the local government record
keeping system and archives. In communities where records are
in dire peril of extinction through neglect and decay, the
frustration of local citizens with their government is high.
The very idea that there is national concern and the
availability of competitive funding grants to improve local
records keeping helps me greatly to encourage local governments
to do right by their own records and their own citizens.
I hope you will do everything necessary to move the
legislation along and to encourage your colleagues to improve
support of the work of the NHPRC. Tennessee will most surely
benefit thereby.
Sincerely,
William W. Moss,
Assistant State Archivist,
Chairman, Tennessee Historical Records Advisory Board.
------
The State Education Department,
The University of the State of New York,
Albany, NY, August 31, 2000.
Hon. Fred Thompson,
Chairman, Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, Dirksen Senate
Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Thompson: On behalf of the New York State
Board of Regents and Education Department, which includes the
State Archives, we write to encourage your support to
reauthorize the National Historical Publications and Records
Commission (NHPRC). Federal NHPRC support has been an important
source of funding for statewide strategic planning for New
York's historical records. This support enabled our State to
create strong strategic plans that have become national models
and to establish a framework for garnering support for New
York's documentation priorities.
Like other states across the nation, New York has limited
resources to make historical records accessible to the public.
Additionally, many of our archival holdings are not accessible
to the public due to lack of enabling tools and technology.
NHPRC funding, coupled with our State funding, has and
continues to build capacity within New York's historical
records community. Our combined funding is a catalyst; it is
often matched and sometimes doubled by local funding.
State and local documentary records hold essential
information regarding our national heritage. There are many
areas of our public life--in health, education, transportation,
natural resources, economic development, lands and property,
etc.--that are only documented at the state and local levels.
This information also provides in-depth understanding of how
federal policies affect localities. We urge your strong support
of NHPRC reauthorization.
Sincerely,
Carl T.Hayden,
Chancellor, Board of
Regents.
Richard P. Mills,
Commissioner of Education.
------
The Society of American Archivists,
Chicago, IL, September 10, 2000.
Senator Fred Thompson,
Chairman, Senate Government Affairs Committee, Dirksen Senate Office
Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Senator Thompson: On behalf of the Society of American
Archivists, we urge you to support H.R. 4110, a bill for the
reauthorization of the National Historical Publications and
Records Commission (NHPRC), a statutory body affiliated with
the National Archives and Records Commission that supports a
wide range of activities to preserve, publish and encourage the
use of documentary sources relating to the history of the
United States. By making grants to state and local archives,
colleges and universities, libraries, historical societies and
other nonprofit organizations in the United States, this small,
but very effective granting body ensures that the various
levels of American history are preserved and used by our
citizens.
The Society of American Archivists is the oldest and
largest association of archivists in the United States,
representing more than 3,000 individuals and 400 institutions.
It is the authoritative voice in the United States on issues
that affect the identification, preservation, and use of the
historical record.
The National Historical Publications and Records
Commission, in its 66 year history has ensured that the
documentary history of this country is not lost, by making the
papers of our founding fathers and other prominent Americans
widely available through the publication of their documents.
The figures represented include the Founding Fathers, such as
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin and
Presidents, such as Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, and Andrew
Johnson.
The Commission has served a vital role in providing the
funding to state boards for the creation of a national archival
infrastructure. The focus for these state grants has been on
strategic planning, implementation and statewide collaboration.
An excellent example of providing services to the local small
historical societies is the NFACE project, the National Forum
on Archival Continuing Education, which seeks to determine the
continuing education needs of the nation's historical records
keepers and to develop an action agenda to meet those needs.
NHPRC serves as the venture capitalist for the archival
work necessary to ensure our historical heritage: by providing
seed money for new ideas; by taking risks on experimental
programs, such as the work being done by the San Diego
Supercomputer Center to develop a method to preserve electronic
records; and by providing expertise for fledgling programs,
helping to move these local programs forward. It would be a
great loss if the National Historical Publications and Records
Commission were not reauthorized. We urge you to move forward
and approve this bill by the end of this legislative session to
ensure the continuing effectiveness of this outstanding
program.
Sincerely,
Leon J. Stout,
President.