[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 127 (Wednesday, September 19, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S6422]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
MORNING BUSINESS
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to
speak for up to 10 minutes each.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, the week of September 17th marks the third
annual celebration of Congress Week, sponsored by the Association of
Centers for the Study of Congress. The Association is an independent
alliance of institutions that preserve the papers of Members of
Congress and use those papers to promote the study of Congress.
Congress Week's theme this year is ``Congress: Chosen by the
People.'' Congress is the only branch of the Federal Government that is
elected by the people. It is important, as Members of Congress, to
manage and preserve our own papers for future historical research and
study of our democracy.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a letter from the
President of the Association of Centers for the Study of Congress and
the Chair of the Congressional Papers Roundtable about Congress Week be
printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
September 2012.
Dear Member of Congress: In honor of Congress Week (16-22
September 2012), the Congressional Papers Roundtable (CPR)
and the Association of Centers for the Study of Congress
(ACSC) encourage you to remember H. Con. Res. 307 (5 March
2008), ``expressing the sense of Congress that Members'
Congressional papers should be properly maintained and
encouraging Members to take all necessary precautions to
manage and preserve these papers.''
Established in 1986, the Congressional Papers Roundtable is
composed of members of the Society of American Archivists who
work with or have an interest in the papers of members of
Congress and the records of Congress. CPR provides a forum
for discussing developments and developing guidelines in the
preservation and management of congressional papers and
records.
In 2003, ACSC was founded as an independent alliance of
institutions and organizations that support a wide range of
programs designed to inform and educate students, scholars,
policy-makers, and members of the general public on the
history of Congress, legislative process, and current issues
facing Congress. ACSC encourages the preservation of material
that documents the work of Congress, including the papers of
representatives and senators, and supports programs that make
those materials available for educational and research use.
The association also welcomes the participation of
institutions and individuals committed to the goal of
promoting a better understanding of Congress.
ACSC has sponsored an annual celebration of ``Congress
Week'' since 2009. The central goal of this national
initiative is to foster the study of the U.S. House and
Senate, and to promote a wider appreciation for the vital
role the legislative branch plays in our representative
democracy. This year's theme, ``Congress: Chosen by the
People,'' is drawn directly from language in the Constitution
and emphasizes that Congress is the only branch directly
elected by the people. During Congress Week, ACSC members and
participating organizations will feature a range of events
including lectures and exhibits to highlight the role of
legislative branch and the participatory role of citizens in
registering to vote, staying informed on issues, and making
one's opinions known to members of Congress.
Every day, the House and Senate make significant
contributions to our nation's history. As a Member of
Congress, the archival preservation of your papers is a long-
lasting form of service to constituents in your state and
throughout the nation. We urge you to embrace the tenets of
H. Con. Res. 307:
(1) Members' Congressional papers (including papers of
Delegates and Resident Commissioners to the Congress) should
be properly maintained;
(2) each Member of Congress should take all necessary
measures to manage and preserve the Member's own
Congressional papers; and
(3) each Member of Congress should be encouraged to arrange
for the deposit or donation of the Member's own noncurrent
Congressional papers with a research institution that is
properly equipped to care for them, and to make these papers
available for educational purposes at a time the Member
considers appropriate.
Documenting our democracy through the preservation of the
record created by Congress is the work of many. In addition
to the efforts of the National Archives, the endeavor
involves the efforts of libraries, archival repositories,
historical societies, and congressional and public policy
centers in every state across the nation. We cannot succeed
without you. Please take steps to preserve the historical
legacy of your state and nation as represented in the records
generated by your congressional office.
Sincerely,
Leigh McWhite, Chair,
Congressional Papers Roundtable, Society Association of
American Archivists and Political Papers Archivist,
University of Mississippi.
Sheryl B. Vogt, President,
Association of Centers for the Study of Congress and
Director, Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research
and Studies.
____
U.S. Senate,
Office of the Secretary,
Washington, DC, September 13, 2012.
Hon. Harry Reid,
Majority Leader, U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC.
Dear Senator Reid: The week of September 17, 2012 marks the
third annual celebration of Congress Week, sponsored by the
Association of Centers for the Study of Congress (ACSC). The
ACSC was founded in 2003 as an independent alliance of
institutions that preserve the papers of members of Congress
and promote the study of Congress through the educational use
of these collections.
This year's celebration builds on successful Congress Weeks
in 2010 and 2011, observed by 35 member institutions around
the country through lectures, film series, exhibits, and
appearances by members of Congress. For Congress Week 2012,
the ACSC and the Congressional Papers Roundtable would like
to call attention to H. Con. Res. 307 (2008) by asking you to
insert the attached letter into the Congressional Record.
As Chair of the Advisory Committee on the Records of
Congress, I support this request because it encourages
members of Congress to preserve their records and history.
Sincerely,
Nancy Erickson,
Secretary of the Senate.
____________________