[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 66 (Thursday, April 28, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2560-S2563]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself and Mr. Leahy):
  S. 2893. A bill to reauthorize the sound recording and film 
preservation programs of the Library of Congress, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, today I am introducing The Library of 
Congress Sound Recording and Film Preservation Programs Reauthorization 
Act of 2016. I am pleased to have Senator Leahy as a cosponsor. This 
bill would reauthorize the sound recording and film preservation 
programs of the Library of Congress through fiscal year 2026. The 
current authorization sunsets in September 2016. In addition to 
reauthorizing the programs, the bill would increase the National 
Recording Preservation Foundation's number of board members and place a 
cap on Federal matching funds similar to what is currently required of 
the National Film Preservation Foundation.
  Congress created the National Film Preservation Board in 1988 and the 
National Film Preservation Foundation in 1996 to help save historically 
significant American films for the benefit of the public. In 2000, 
Congress created the National Recording Preservation Board and the 
National Recording Preservation Foundation to help save

[[Page S2561]]

historically important American sound recordings.
  The two boards advise the Librarian of Congress on national 
preservation planning policy, helping the Library develop and 
disseminate preservation and production standards for at-risk works. In 
addition, the Film Board selects films of importance to cinema and 
America's cultural and artistic history for the National Film Registry, 
while the Recording Board selects sound recordings which have been 
recognized for their cultural, artistic and/or historical significance 
to American society and the Nation's audio legacy for the National 
Recording Registry.
  The two foundations are the private sector charitable affiliates of 
the Boards. They raise funds and distribute them to archives throughout 
the U.S. The Library's Federal match is used for small grants to 
archives, educational institutions, museums and local historical 
societies with small film and sound recording collections in need of 
preservation. A requirement of the grants is that recipients make these 
works available to researchers, educators and the general public.
  These programs have allowed the Library of Congress, in collaboration 
with a wide range of industry organizations, no-profit libraries and 
archives, preservation organizations, artist guilds, educators and 
academics, to collect and preserve at-risk films and recordings all 
over the country.
  My State of Iowa has benefitted directly from these programs. For 
example, the National Film Preservation Foundation has provided grants 
to preserve films held in Iowa institutions, including Coe College, 
Council Bluffs Public Library, Davenport Public Library, Herbert Hoover 
Presidential Library-Museum, Iowa State University American Archives of 
the Factual Film, and the University of Iowa. In addition, a number of 
Iowa-related items are preserved in the Library of Congress Packard 
Campus audio-visual collection, including copies of Iowa Public Radio 
and Public Television items from the American Archive of Public 
Broadcasting.
  Iowa constituents have contacted my office about their support for 
the reauthorization of these programs. For example, I heard from Ben 
Johnson, Support Service Librarian at the Council Bluffs Public 
Library, Jill Jack, Director of Library Services, College Archivist and 
Associate Professor at Coe College, Tanya Zanish-Belcher, Director of 
Special Collection & Archives at Wake Forest University, and David 
McCartney, University Archivist at the University of Iowa, about the 
value of these programs to local libraries and historical societies, 
and how their organizations were in the possession of materials that 
were able to be saved with the help of these programs.
  According to Mr. Johnson, the Council Bluffs Public Library received 
a grant to preserve a 1930s silent film entitled Man Power, which had 
been created ``to boost the local economy by luring businesses to 
Council Bluffs. This historic film sat in our archives for over 80 
years, unwatched and deteriorating over time. With the help of the 
[National Film Preservation Fund], we were able to preserve and 
digitize this wonderful time capsule of our local history. Thanks to 
the [National Film Preservation Foundation], this lost piece of history 
has been viewed hundreds of times and is now safe from decay and 
available for the public.'' Mr. Johnson wrote, ``Did you know Council 
Bluffs Iowa had the first electric Streetcar system in the country? As 
a result of this grant we were able to see, for the first time, real, 
moving images of Council Bluffs from back when it was a major rail hub. 
I have no doubt that without support from the [National Film 
Preservation Foundation], vital pieces of local history would be lost 
forever.''
  Ms. Jack wrote, ``Coe College received grants to preserve two films 
that depict campus life in the 1930s and 1960s. Once these historically 
rich films were preserved more than 170 people attended a screening of 
the films. Thanks to that event, the college was able to raise funds 
from alumni to preserve a third campus film from 1972. The public 
funding from the [National Film Preservation Foundation] helped us not 
only share our history with the public but also generated financial 
support from the community. Since posting the films on our website 
students, faculty and the public have viewed the films using them in 
academic and public history research.''
  According to a statement from Ms. Zanish-Belcher, who managed the 
National Film Preservation Foundation film grant when she was Head of 
the Special Collections Department at Iowa State University, ``[t]hanks 
to the National Film Preservation Foundation, NFPF, Iowa State 
University was able to preserve and make accessible an important group 
of films documenting the Rath Packing Company of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. As 
the Head of the Special Collections Department at Iowa State at the 
time, I oversaw the preservation of these fragile nitrate films from 
the 1930s. Without support from the NFPF, these important visual 
documents of Iowa History would have been lost. The NFPF continues to 
help regional archives throughout the country, helping to save more 
than 2,230 films and collections in all 50 states. While most film 
preservation efforts focus on the Hollywood product, the NFPF is the 
only agency devoted to helping organizations like Iowa State University 
preserve films in their collections that would otherwise deteriorate 
and go unseen. These films provide important historical documentation 
depicting local and regional business, groups, and organizations of 
interest to both Iowa constituents and U.S. citizens.''
  According to a letter from Mr. McCartney, the University of Iowa 
received funds to preserve a number of films significant to Iowa 
history, including ``a set of student-produced dance films (1939) 
believed to be the oldest thesis films of their type in the nation. 
Another noteworthy project is Iowa State's Rath Packing Company 
Collection (ca. 1933), a group of depression era films documenting the 
largest meatpacking company in the country. The films show the Rath 
test kitchen, packing plant operations, and advertising efforts. Thanks 
to a [National Film Preservation Foundation] grant, this collection is 
now available for scholars and historians.''
  I appreciate the fact that these Library of Congress programs have 
placed a special emphasis on assisting small and local projects that 
would otherwise have been lost or overlooked. Local libraries and 
historical societies have been helped by the National Film Preservation 
Foundation to rescue films that, according to Mr. Johnson, Ms. Jack and 
Mr. McCartney, ``aren't Hollywood features but regional films and 
newsreels that document our history and culture.'' According to Ms. 
Jack, ``we and other Iowa organizations have hundreds of other 
culturally and historically significant films that need preservation 
work to survive. These document the history of our state [of Iowa] from 
its earliest years to present time.'' So the biggest value that I see 
of these programs is that they boost smaller archives with few 
resources to protect their collections, and they provide smaller 
organizations with a path to learn about film preservation and 
successful production standards. These programs are an invaluable 
partner to these small and local organizations in their efforts to save 
America's moving picture and sound recording heritage.
  It is important to foster an environment that encourages the 
preservation of our nation's cultural resources, and films and music 
are a big part of the American experience. As such, vulnerable motion 
pictures and sound recordings of historic and cultural significance 
should be protected from disintegration and decay. I understand that 
many of these works already have been lost and that others are 
deteriorating rapidly. I am a history buff, so I am inspired when I see 
works that depict our American heritage--and especially life in Iowa 
and rural America--saved for future generations. We need to safeguard 
these precious items so they are not lost and so that generations of 
Americans to come can appreciate and learn about their historical and 
creative roots in both film and sound recordings. Many of these works 
are unique and rare, so I am pleased to support the Library of Congress 
programs and their effort to assist organizations all across the 50 
States to preserve these treasures for students, researchers and the 
general public.
  I look forward to swift action on this bill so that it can be enacted 
before these programs sunset at the end of September.

[[Page S2562]]

  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill and 
letters of support be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                S. 2893

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Library of Congress Sound 
     Recording and Film Preservation Programs Reauthorization Act 
     of 2016''.

     SEC. 2. SOUND RECORDING PRESERVATION PROGRAMS.

       (a) National Recording Preservation Board.--Section 133 of 
     the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000 (2 U.S.C. 
     1743) is amended by striking ``through fiscal year 2016'' and 
     inserting ``through fiscal year 2026''.
       (b) National Recording Preservation Foundation.--
       (1) Reauthorization.--Section 152411(a) of title 36, United 
     States Code, is amended by striking ``through fiscal year 
     2016 an amount not to exceed'' and inserting ``through fiscal 
     year 2026 an amount not to exceed the lesser of $750,000 
     or''.
       (2) Number of members of board of directors.--Section 
     152403(b)(2) of title 36, United States Code, is amended--
       (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``nine directors'' and 
     inserting ``12 directors''; and
       (B) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``six directors'' each 
     place it appears and inserting ``8 directors''.

     SEC. 3. FILM PRESERVATION PROGRAMS.

       (a) National Film Preservation Board.--Section 112 of the 
     National Film Preservation Act of 1996 (2 U.S.C. 179v) is 
     amended by striking ``through fiscal year 2016'' and 
     inserting ``through fiscal year 2026''.
       (b) National Film Preservation Foundation.--Section 
     151711(a)(1)(C) of title 36, United States Code, is amended 
     by striking ``through 2016'' and inserting ``through 2026''.
                                  ____

                                                November 19, 2015.
     Hon. Charles E. Grassley,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Grassley: I write to ask your support for 
     reauthorization of the National Film Preservation Foundation 
     (NFPF), the grant-giving public charity set up by Congress in 
     1996 to help save America's film heritage. I understand that 
     the NFPF's reauthorization comes before the Senate this 
     session.
       In Iowa we benefit directly from the programs of the NFPF. 
     The University of Iowa has received funds from the foundation 
     to preserve several films significant to Iowa history. These 
     include a set of student-produced dance films (1939) believed 
     to be the oldest thesis films of their type in the nation. 
     Another noteworthy project is Iowa State's Rath Packing 
     Company Collection (ca. 1933), a group of depression-era 
     films documenting the largest meatpacking company in the 
     country. The films show the Rath test kitchen, packing plant 
     operations, and advertising efforts. Thanks to an NFPF grant, 
     this collection is now available for scholars and historians.
       The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, Coe 
     College, Davenport Public Library, and Council Bluffs Public 
     Library also received grants to preserve films from the NFPF. 
     We and other Iowa organizations have hundreds of other 
     culturally and historically significant films that need 
     preservation work to survive. These document the history of 
     our state from its earliest years to present time.
       Thanks to the National Film Preservation Foundation we have 
     made important progress on saving this important material. To 
     date the NFPF has helped rescue more than 2,600 films from 
     all 50 states and these aren't Hollywood features but 
     regional films and newsreels that document our history and 
     culture.
       The NFPF has been very effective since it started 
     operations in 1997. I urge you to support their work. With 
     additional funding the National Film Preservation Foundation 
     can continue to work with organizations like the University 
     of Iowa to save America's heritage. I would be happy to speak 
     with your staff if you have any questions. Please phone, 
     email or write if I can provide additional information.
           Best wishes,
     David McCartney.
                                  ____

                                                   April 21, 2016.
     Hon. Charles E. Grassley,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Grassley: I write to ask your support for 
     reauthorization of the National Film Preservation Foundation, 
     the grant-giving public charity set up by Congress in 1996 to 
     help save America's film heritage. I understand that the 
     NFPF's reauthorization comes before the Senate this session.
       In Iowa we have benefitted directly from the programs of 
     the National Film Preservation Foundation. Coe College 
     received grants to preserve two films that depict campus life 
     in the 1930s and 1960s. Once these historically rich films 
     were preserved more than 170 people attended a screening of 
     the films. Thanks to that event, the college was able to 
     raise funds from alumni to preserve a third campus film from 
     1972. The public funding from the NFPF helped us not only 
     share our history with the public but also generated 
     financial support from the community. Since posting the films 
     on our website students, faculty and the public have viewed 
     the films using them in academic and public history research.
       The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, 
     Davenport Public Library, Council Bluffs Public Library, and 
     Iowa State University also received grants to preserve films 
     from the NFPF. We and other Iowa organizations have hundreds 
     of other culturally and historically significant films that 
     need preservation work to survive. These document the history 
     of our state from its earliest years to present time.
       The NFPF has been very effective since it started 
     operations in 1997. To date the NFPF has helped rescue more 
     than 2,600 films from all 50 states and these aren't 
     Hollywood features but regional films and newsreels that 
     document our history and culture. I urge you to support their 
     work. With additional funding the National Film Preservation 
     Foundation can continue to work with organizations like the 
     University of Iowa to save America's heritage.
           Best wishes,
     Jill Jack.
                                  ____

                                                November 19, 2015.
     Hon. Charles E. Grassley,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Grassley: I write to ask your support for 
     reauthorization of the National Film Preservation Foundation 
     (NFPF), the grant-giving public charity set up by Congress in 
     1996 to help save America's film heritage. I understand that 
     the NFPF's reauthorization comes before the Senate this 
     session.
       In 2012 Council Bluffs Public Library received a grant to 
     preserve Man Power, a 1930 silent film created to boost the 
     local economy by luring businesses to Council Bluffs. This 
     historic film sat in our archives for over 80 years, 
     unwatched and deteriorating over time. With the help of the 
     NFPF, we were able to preserve and digitize this wonderful 
     time capsule of our local history. Thanks to the NFPF, this 
     lost piece of history has been viewed hundreds of times and 
     is now safe from decay and available for the public.
       Did you know Council Bluffs Iowa had the first electric 
     Streetcar system in the country? As a result of this grant we 
     were able to see, for the first time, real, moving images of 
     Council Bluffs from back when it was a major rail hub. I have 
     no doubt that without support from the NFPF, vital pieces of 
     local history would be lost forever.
       Thanks to the National Film Preservation Foundation, we and 
     other local libraries and historical societies have been able 
     to save important films that would otherwise be overlooked. 
     To date the NFPF has helped rescue more than 2,600 films from 
     all 50 states and these aren't Hollywood features but 
     regional films and newsreels that document our history and 
     culture.
       The NFPF has been very effective since it started 
     operations in 1997. They assist not only the largest film 
     archives in the country, but also provide a path for smaller 
     organizations to learn about film preservation and protect 
     their collections. I urge you to support their work. With 
     additional funding the National Film Preservation Foundation 
     can continue to work with organizations like Council Bluffs 
     Public Library to save America's heritage. Thank you for your 
     time and please be in touch if you have any questions.
           Best wishes,
                                                      Ben Johnson.

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, two days ago, we recognized World IP Day, 
celebrating the profound contributions that artists and inventors make 
to our culture and beyond. The theme of this year's World IP Day was 
Digital Creativity: Culture Reimagined, and events around the world 
focused on how to promote and protect creative efforts in the digital 
age. As we look forward to new and innovative digital creations we must 
also be vigilant in preserving the past.
  We must ensure that the films and recordings that played vital roles 
in shaping and recording the American experience are preserved for 
future generations. Those works, created by previous generations, tell 
us who we are, and who we were, as a society. To help ensure that these 
records of our history, our dreams, and our aspirations can be viewed 
and appreciated by future generations, I am joining with Senator 
Grassley to introduce legislation reauthorizing the Library of Congress 
sound recording and film preservation programs.
  Congress has long recognized the importance of cultural preservation, 
creating the National Film Preservation Program in 1988 and the 
National Sound Recording Preservation Program in 2000 within the 
Library of Congress. Both programs help preserve historical and 
cultural artifacts that would otherwise disappear or be destroyed 
through the passage of time. The Library of Congress uses the programs 
to advance important preservation efforts including recognizing films

[[Page S2563]]

and sound recordings on the National Film and National Recording 
Registries.
  The programs also created the federally chartered National Film and 
National Recording Preservation Foundations. The foundations provide 
grants to a wide array of educational and non-profit organizations to 
preserve films and sound recordings. To date, the National Film 
Preservation Foundation has given grants to organizations in all 50 
States, including to Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home in Manchester, 
Vermont, which used the money to preserve home movies of Robert Todd 
Lincoln's descendants from the 1920s to the 1940s. Well over 2000 
films, many of which can now be viewed online, have been preserved 
through the Foundation's grants. Among the preserved films is the 
earliest feature film shot in Vermont, ``A Vermont Romance'' from 1916.
  By reauthorizing these important programs through 2027, this 
legislation will allow the Library of Congress and the Foundations to 
continue their important work in preserving America's fading treasures, 
as well as providing grants that will help libraries, museums, and 
archives preserve these works and make them available for study and 
research. I urge my colleagues to act swiftly to pass this legislation.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a letter of support the 
bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                      Northeast Historic Film,

                                    Bucksport, ME, April 20, 2016.
     Hon. Patrick J. Leahy,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Leahy: Founded in 1986, Northeast Historic 
     Film has built the largest existing collection of moving 
     images documenting the history and heritage of northern New 
     England. And since the founding of the National Film 
     Preservation Foundation, the NFPF has been the largest and 
     most important source of funds for preserving these works.
       The preserved films include A Vermont Romance (1916), the 
     earliest feature film shot in Vermont; film documentation of 
     the 1927 flood; textile mill owners and workers in Maine; the 
     home movies of Charles Norman Shay, a Penobscot Indian elder 
     who is a decorated veteran of the D-Day invasion; 
     Provincetown, Massachusetts, in 1915; a 4-H club in 1946; a 
     tuberculosis sanitarium in 1934, and over two dozen other 
     examples of community life and activity in the region.
       Communications with colleagues in archives around the 
     country inform us of the crucial significance of National 
     Film Preservation Foundation funding. Moving image 
     repositories from coast to coast benefit from NFPF grants. 
     The dedicated staff, which efficiently shepherds NFPF 
     financial resources, has ensured that our nation's heritage 
     will continue to be available for study and enjoyment.
       We are grateful to you and NFPF's friends in Congress for 
     help in the past--and for assistance with the upcoming 
     reauthorization. Our film heritage depends on it.
           Sincerely,
                                    David Weiss and Karan Sheldon,
                                Founders, Northeast Historic Film.
                                 ______