[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 120 (Monday, September 10, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H5742-H5743]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    REVISING AUTHORITY OF LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS TO ACCEPT GIFTS AND 
                                BEQUESTS

  Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend 
the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6122) to revise the authority of the 
Librarian of Congress to accept gifts and bequests on behalf of the 
Library, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6122

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

     SECTION 1. AUTHORITY OF LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS TO ACCEPT GIFTS 
                   AND BEQUESTS.

       (a) Expanding Types of Gifts That May Be Accepted.--The 
     first undesignated paragraph of section 4 of the Act entitled 
     ``An Act to create a Library of Congress Trust Fund Board, 
     and for other purposes'', approved March 3, 1925 (2 U.S.C. 
     160), is amended--
       (1) in the first sentence, by striking ``in the name of the 
     United States'' and all that follows and inserting the 
     following: ``in the name of the United States and in the 
     interest of the Library, its collections, or its service, 
     gifts or bequests of money for immediate disbursement, 
     personal property valued at $25,000 or less, nonpersonal 
     services, or voluntary and uncompensated personal 
     services.'';
       (2) in the second sentence, by inserting ``of money'' after 
     ``bequests''; and
       (3) in the third sentence, by striking ``enter them'' and 
     inserting ``enter the gift, bequest, or proceeds''.
       (b) Treatment of Gifts of Securities.--The first 
     undesignated paragraph of section 4 of such Act (2 U.S.C. 
     160) is amended by inserting after the first sentence the 
     following new sentence: ``In the case of a gift of 
     securities, the Librarian shall sell the gift and provide the 
     donor with a receipt from the proceeds of the sale.''.
       (c) Public Report on Accepted Gifts.--Section 4 of such Act 
     (2 U.S.C. 160) is amended--
       (1) in the first sentence of the first undesignated 
     paragraph, by striking ``Nothing'' and inserting ``(a) 
     Acceptance and Disbursement of Gifts.--Nothing''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(b) Public Report on Accepted Gifts.--In each Annual 
     Report of the Library of Congress, the Librarian of Congress 
     shall include a description of each gift or bequest accepted 
     under this section during the year involved which is valued 
     at $1,000 or more.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Daniel E. Lungren) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Brady) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6122 to revise the 
authority of the Librarian of Congress to accept gifts and bequests on 
behalf of the Library, and for other purposes. This bill simply 
authorizes the Librarian of Congress to accept nonmonetary gifts of 
securities, personal property valued at $25,000 or less, and voluntary 
and uncompensated personal services. The Librarian is required to 
disclose a description of each gift or bequest valued at $1,000 or more 
in the Annual Report of the Library of Congress.
  Over its history, the Library has been offered various types of 
donations that it has not had authority to accept. These would include 
donations of IT equipment, audiovisual equipment, and volunteer 
services outside of the American Folklife Center or the Center for the 
Book. While the Library is currently authorized to accept monetary 
gifts, this bill authorizes benevolent individuals to give back to the 
Library in other ways that would be beneficial to the Library's mission 
and therefore to this Congress and to the United States.
  I would urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 6122, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of legislation to authorize the 
Library of Congress to accept certain gifts on behalf of the Library. 
Expanding the Librarian's authority to accept gifts other than money is 
in the best interests of the Library. Occasionally, the Library is 
offered gifts that would be beneficial but which the Librarian cannot 
today accept, such as voluntary personal services or vintage equipment 
needed to play old movies or audio recordings.
  Further, the bill authorizes the Librarian to accept gifts of 
marketable securities for immediate disbursement and other personal 
property valued at $25,000 or less. In this budgetary era, authority to 
accept and make good use of such donations will serve the Library well.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I would ask all 
Members to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Harris). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Daniel E. Lungren) that 
the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6122.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand 
the yeas and nays.

[[Page H5743]]

  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.

                          ____________________