[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2303 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.R.2303

                       One Hundred Sixth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE FIRST SESSION

         Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,
   the sixth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine


                                 An Act


 
To direct the Librarian of Congress to prepare the history of the House 
               of Representatives, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``History of the House Awareness and 
Preservation Act''.

SEC. 2. WRITTEN HISTORY OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

    (a) In General.--Subject to available funding and in accordance 
with the requirements of this Act, the Librarian of Congress shall 
prepare, print, distribute, and arrange for the funding of, a new and 
complete written history of the House of Representatives, in 
consultation with the Committee on House Administration. In preparing 
this written history, the Librarian of Congress shall consult, 
commission, or engage the services or participation of, eminent 
historians, Members, and former Members of the House of 
Representatives.
    (b) Guidelines.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Librarian of 
Congress shall take into account the following:
        (1) The history should be an illustrated, narrative history of 
    the House of Representatives, organized chronologically.
        (2) The history's intended audience is the general reader, as 
    well as Members of Congress and their staffs.
        (3) The history should include a discussion of the First and 
    Second Continental Congresses and the Constitutional Convention, 
    especially with regard to their roles in creating the House of 
    Representatives.
    (c) Printing.--
        (1) In general.--The Librarian of Congress shall arrange for 
    the printing of the history.
        (2) Printing arrangements.--The printing may be performed--
            (A) by the Public Printer pursuant to the provisions of 
        chapter 5 of title 44, United States Code;
            (B) under a cooperative arrangement among the Librarian of 
        Congress, a private funding source obtained pursuant to 
        subsection (e), and a publisher in the private sector; or
            (C) under subparagraphs (A) and (B).
        (3) Internet dissemination.--Any arrangement under paragraph 
    (2) shall include terms for dissemination of the history over the 
    Internet via facilities maintained by the United States Government.
        (4) Member copies.--To the extent that the history is printed 
    by the Public Printer, copies of the history provided to the 
    Congress under subsection (d) shall be charged to the Government 
    Printing Office's congressional allotment for printing and binding.
    (d) Distribution.--The Librarian of Congress shall make the history 
available for sale to the public, and shall make available, free of 
charge, 5 copies to each Member of the House of Representatives and 250 
copies to the Senate.
    (e) Private Funding.--The Librarian of Congress shall solicit and 
accept funding for the preparation, publication, marketing, and public 
distribution of the history from private individuals, organizations, or 
entities.

SEC. 3. ORAL HISTORY OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

    (a) In General.--The Librarian of Congress shall accept for 
deposit, preserve, maintain, and make accessible an oral history of the 
House of Representatives, as told by its Members and former Members, 
compiled and updated (on a voluntary or contract basis) by the United 
States Association of Former Members of Congress or other private 
organization. In carrying out this section, the Librarian of Congress 
may enlist the voluntary aid or assistance of such organization, or may 
contract with it for such services as may be necessary.
    (b) Definition of Oral History.--In this section, the term ``oral 
history'' means a story or history consisting of personal recollection 
as recorded by any one or more of the following means:
        (1) Interviews.
        (2) Transcripts.
        (3) Audio recordings.
        (4) Video recordings.
        (5) Such other form or means as may be suitable for the 
    recording and preservation of such information.

SEC. 4. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of the Congress that--
        (1) orientation programs for freshman Members of the House of 
    Representatives should contain a seminar on the history of the 
    House of Representatives; and
        (2) the Speaker of the House of Representatives should conduct 
    a series of forums on the topic of the history of the House of 
    Representatives.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.