[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 169 (Monday, November 16, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H12977-H12978]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           FDR DOCUMENTS ACT

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 1506) to provide that claims of the United States to certain 
documents relating to Franklin Delano Roosevelt shall be treated as 
waived and relinquished in certain circumstances.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1506

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

     SECTION 1. TREATMENT OF OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS 
                   RELATING TO FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT.

       (a) In General.--If any person or entity makes a gift of 
     any property described in subsection (b) to the National 
     Archives and Records Administration, then any claim of the 
     United States to such property shall be treated as having 
     been waived and relinquished on the day before the date of 
     such gift.
       (b) Property Described.--Property is described in this 
     subsection if such property--
       (1) is a part of the collection of documents, papers, and 
     memorabilia relating to Franklin Delano Roosevelt or any 
     member of his family or staff; and
       (2) was in the possession of Grace Tully and retained by 
     her at the time of her death.
       (c) Date of Gift.--The date of a gift referred to in 
     subsection (a) is any date specified by the donor so long as 
     such date is subsequent to the physical delivery of the 
     property described in subsection (b) to the National Archives 
     and Records Administration.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and add any extraneous materials.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform, I present H.R. 1506 for consideration. This legislation will 
facilitate the donation of the Grace Tully archive to the National 
Archives and Records Administration. H.R. 1506 was introduced by my 
friend and colleague, Representative Louise Slaughter of New York, on 
March 12, 2009, and favorably reported out of the Oversight Committee 
by voice vote on October 29, 2009. In addition, the Senate companion 
bill to H.R. 1506, Senate bill 692, introduced by Senator Charles 
Schumer of New York, was passed by the United States Senate on October 
14, 2009, by unanimous consent.
  Mr. Speaker, Ms. Grace Tully served as the personal secretary of 
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt from June of 1941 to April of 1945. 
In her capacity as personal secretary to the President, Ms. Tully 
preserved an assortment of personal papers and other historical items 
related to President Roosevelt that have come to form a historically 
significant collection.
  While the private owner of the Grace Tully collection would like to 
donate the materials to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Presidential 
Library, the National Archives and Records Administration, which 
administers the Roosevelt Library, has asserted a claim to a portion of 
the collection. Notably, the claim asserted by the National Archives 
impacts whether the private owner may claim a tax deduction for the 
donation.
  In order to facilitate the donation of the Grace Tully archive, H.R. 
1506 waives the government's claim to the records and will thereby 
allow the collection to be gifted to the Roosevelt Library.
  Mr. Speaker, the Grace Tully archive represents an important part of 
American history. Through the passage of H.R. 1506, we will ensure that 
this collection will be properly preserved and made publicly available 
through the Roosevelt Library. I would also like to note that this 
legislation enjoys the support of the National Archives.
  As noted by former Acting Archivist Adrienne Thomas in a letter sent 
to the Oversight Committee last month: ``I write to express my strong 
support for the ongoing legislative effort to facilitate the donation 
to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library of the Tully archive 
through House bill H.R. 1506 and its Senate companion, Senate 692.''
  Ms. Thomas went on to say that ``it is very important to the National 
Archives and Records Administration, and for future historians that 
might want to study these papers, for the Tully archive to be kept 
intact and made fully accessible to the American people in a public 
government archive.''
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1506.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1430

  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1506 would waive certain claims of the United 
States to specific documents relating to Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The 
papers, known as the Tully Collection, are said to be an important and 
valuable collection of materials relating to President Roosevelt's time 
in office. Grace Tully served as part of Franklin Roosevelt's 
secretarial staff for several decades, and in 1941 became his personal 
secretary. After her death her collection of personal papers passed on 
through her niece into the hands of private collectors and finally to 
the current owners, Sun Times Media, who bought the collection for $8 
million in 2001.
  In 2004 the National Archives asserted a claim to a portion of the 
documents. Sun Times Media wishes to donate the entire collection to 
President Roosevelt's Presidential Library in Hyde Park, New York. Due 
to the Archives' formal claim, however, Sun Times Media is prevented 
from receiving a tax deduction on the donation. This bill aims to 
alleviate the legal claims of the United States and the Archives, 
thereby clearing the way for the donation and the deduction.
  I understand this bill is a priority for certain Members of the New 
York delegation. I also understand the Archives has offered its support 
for this legislation in a letter to the committee. Nevertheless, I want 
to briefly highlight two points.
  First, given the multiple ongoing instances of mismanagement at the 
Archives, we need to take a close look at all legislation relating to 
this agency. Second, the majority moved this bill without a hearing. We 
should have a better understanding of this legislation, particularly 
how it relinquishes the Federal Government's claim to certain documents 
while benefiting certain entities through tax breaks.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope we can take a closer look at this bill as it 
moves through the legislative process.
  I have no other speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. On behalf of the sponsor here, Representative Louise 
Slaughter, I encourage my friends from both sides of the aisle to join 
us in supporting H.R. 1506.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1506, 
which will allow for the National Archives to acquire the Grace Tully 
collection of documents and memorabilia pertaining to President 
Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The passage of this important legislation 
could not be timelier, and will allow the American people to have 
access to historical documents that provide unique insight into the 
life of one of our nation's greatest Presidents.
  Grace Tully was one of the most important figures in President 
Roosevelt's life. She began her professional career working for Eleanor 
Roosevelt, and worked for FDR from his time as Governor of New York 
through his death in 1945. From 1941, Grace Tully served as the 
President's personal secretary and she frequently traveled with the 
President. Her collection of documents and personal correspondence from 
this time span one of the most challenging eras in our nation's history 
and provide unique insight into the thinking of our nation's longest 
serving President.
  The collection includes a draft copy of President Roosevelt's speech 
to the 1936 Democratic Convention in which he famously said that ``This 
generation of Americans has a rendezvous with destiny.'' Much of the 
collection gives a behind the scenes look at how the President 
fulfilled his promise to that convention. It includes personal 
correspondence that

[[Page H12978]]

discussed the creation of Social Security and other programs that were 
integral to the New Deal. The collection also includes draft copy of 
the President's 1941 address to a joint session of Congress. The 
handwritten notes on the draft discuss the attack on Pearl Harbor and 
the President's timeless statement that December 7, 1941 was a ``date 
which will live in infamy.''
  Beyond major statements and addresses, Ms. Tully's collection helps 
shed light on the important relationship the President had with Winston 
Churchill. There is personal correspondence between Roosevelt and 
Churchill which discuss important topics leading up to the Yalta 
Conference in 1945. But there is also more lighthearted correspondence 
including scorecards of poker games between the two heads of state.
  The passage of this legislation will allow for the public to have 
access to this valuable collection, which provides important insight 
into one of the most important and transitional eras in the country's 
history. I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. LYNCH. I yield back the balance of our time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1506.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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