[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 166 (Tuesday, October 30, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S13573]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY HISTORY

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, today I wish to speak on a topic that is of 
growing importance to many throughout our Nation, especially in my home 
State of Utah. That subject is family history.
  As many of my colleagues know, I have always been a strong believer 
in the importance of researching personal family history and learning 
more about our roots and heritage. For some, it is a hobby; for others, 
it is a passion to collect, preserve, and share genealogies, personal 
histories, and memorabilia that document the life and times of families 
around the world.
  Studies show that a large majority of Americans have an interest and 
are actively involved in tracing their family's history. Indeed, 
millions of individuals throughout the United States and the world 
continue to utilize our Nation's libraries and archives to search the 
records that detail the history of our Nation, our States, our 
communities, and our citizens. In recent years, the Internet has also 
become an invaluable tool for those seeking to learn more about where 
they came from and what legacies they have inherited.
  I have been pleased to learn that several agencies throughout the 
Federal Government have established programs which I believe will 
greatly assist our citizens in their desire to research their family 
history. The National Archives and the Departments of Defense, Veterans 
Affairs, the Interior, Commerce, and Justice have all undertaken 
efforts to make digital copies of American records accessible through 
the Internet. Once completed, these programs will ensure that countless 
historical documents, including military, census, court, land, justice, 
and probate records as well as photographs, newspapers and other 
sources of historical information will be preserved for generations to 
come.
  As you might expect, Mr. President, scanning billions of documents is 
a daunting, as well as expensive, task. Realizing this, Federal 
agencies have created numerous public-private partnerships with various 
companies throughout the country, including some from my home State of 
Utah. Many of these companies do so out of an interest in helping the 
public gain access to important documents and are not wholly motivated 
by profits or gain. The expertise provided to the government by many 
Utahns have made it easier for agencies to scan, index, and preserve 
various records for posterity. Private organizations have also worked 
with government archivists to devise disaster plans in order to protect 
vital records from being destroyed in event of catastrophe.
  The importance of protecting and preserving the history of our 
country cannot be overstated. Recent events, such as Hurricane Rita and 
the fire in the Washington, DC Library, have demonstrated the need to 
be proactive in preserving the records of our Nation's past.
  Mr. President, I want to commend those, both in the government and 
the private sector, who have worked to preserve our Nation's heritage 
for future generations. As one who has long been interested in family 
history, I am extremely grateful for their efforts.

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