[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 27 (Monday, March 1, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S855-S856]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            LIBRARY OF CONGRESS OFFICE IN JAKARTA, INDONESIA

  Mr. LUGAR. Madam President, as my colleagues are aware, the Library 
of Congress, LOC, diligently works to keep the Congress fully informed 
on a plethora of issues. Today I would like to highlight the important 
work of a component of the LOC that is less known to colleagues, and 
that is its operation in Southeast Asia. The work of this regional 
operation immensely contributes to U.S. understanding of Southeast 
Asia, the Pacific Islands, China and India, thereby facilitating our 
foreign policy objectives.
  The LOC office is one of six overseas offices operated by the 
Overseas Operations Division of the LOC. Staff to the overseas offices 
``acquire, catalog, preserve and distribute library and research 
materials . . . and provide assistance to the U.S. Congress.''
  For too many Americans, Southeast Asia is a distant unknown. In 
reality, the region is of significant economic importance to the 
American people. The approximately 580-million citizens--and 
consumers--of the 10 nations comprising the Association of Southeast 
Asian Nations, ASEAN, represent the fourth largest market for American 
exports.
  Based in Jakarta, the mission of the LOC regional operation is 
diverse. Primary among its responsibilities is to provide research and 
information services to the U.S. Congress and the Congressional 
Research Service. Jakarta LOC staff also manage the Cooperative 
Acquisitions Program, CAPSEA, whereby they acquire materials from 
countries in the region on behalf of the LOC and member institutions, 
which

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include 30 U.S. research libraries and 10 international research 
libraries.
  It is important to note the ongoing, extensive assistance the Senate 
Foreign Relations Committee receives from the Jakarta LOC office. 
Research and preparation for committee projects on issues ranging from 
global food security, to international trade, nonproliferation, the 
Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, EITI, counterterrorism 
and human trafficking, have been augmented by the diligent efforts of 
LOC staff in Jakarta and elsewhere in the region.
  The Jakarta LOC office ensures that the U.S. Congress and the 
Congressional Research Service have up-to-date legal and legislative 
regional information, and it assists other U.S. Government agencies in 
providing and sharing open source information as well as acquiring 
publications.
  The Jakarta LOC office has also worked with the House Democracy 
Partnership, HDP, and The Asia Foundation to create a legislative 
library for the National Parliament of Timor-Leste and to train the 
library staff, and is cooperating with the HDP to develop a 
parliamentary research service and an improved information technology 
system there.
  Indonesia is a young democracy. Its Parliament is confronted with 
many challenges, including the development of its own operational and 
staff infrastructure. The LOC office in Jakarta serves as a bridge 
facilitating communications and meetings between the staff of the U.S. 
Congress and the Indonesian Parliament. Our counterparts in the 
Indonesian Parliament have expressed appreciation for this initiative.
  In conclusion, I am grateful for the assistance provided to the U.S. 
Senate by the Southeast Asia LOC office, and wanted to take this 
opportunity to openly convey my appreciation.

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