[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 390 Reported in Senate (RS)]






                                                      Calendar No. 1042
110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 390


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 23, 2007

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 
                        and Governmental Affairs

           September 23 (legislative day, September 17), 2008

              Reported by Mr. Lieberman, with an amendment
                  [Insert the part printed in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
  To require the establishment of a national database in the National 
Archives to preserve records of servitude, emancipation, and post-Civil 
War reconstruction and to provide grants to State and local entities to 
                   establish similar local databases.

    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 ``Preservation of Records of 
Servitude, Emancipation, and Post-Civil War Reconstruction Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL DATABASE.

    (a) In General.--The Archivist of the United States shall preserve 
relevant records and establish, as part of the National Archives, an 
electronically searchable national database consisting of historic 
records of servitude, emancipation, and post-Civil War reconstruction, 
including Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands Records, the Southern 
Claims Commission Records, Records of the Freedmen's Bank, Slave 
Impressments Records, Slave Payroll Records, Slave Manifest, and 
others, contained within the agencies and departments of the Federal 
Government to assist African Americans and others in conducting 
genealogical and historical research.
    (b) Maintenance.--The database established under this section shall 
be maintained by the National Archives or an entity within the National 
Archives designated by the Archivist.

SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF STATE AND LOCAL DATABASES.

    (a) In General.--The National Historical Publications and Records 
Commission of the National Archives shall provide grants to States, 
colleges and universities, and genealogical associations to preserve 
records and establish electronically searchable databases consisting of 
local records of servitude, emancipation, and post-Civil War 
reconstruction.
    (b) Maintenance.--The databases established using grants provided 
under this section shall be maintained by appropriate agencies or 
institutions designated by the National Historical Publications and 
Records Commission.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated--
            (1) $5,000,000 to implement section 2; and
            (2) $5,000,000 to provide grants under section 3.
                                                      Calendar No. 1042

110th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 390

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

  To require the establishment of a national database in the National 
Archives to preserve records of servitude, emancipation, and post-Civil 
War reconstruction and to provide grants to State and local entities to 
                   establish similar local databases.

_______________________________________________________________________

           September 23 (legislative day, September 17), 2008

                       Reported with an amendment