[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 7517]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            CONGRATULATING THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

 Mrs. HUTCHISON. Madam President, today, I want to congratulate 
and acknowledge the University of Texas at Austin's Department of 
History for creating an interactive website that offers a unique outlet 
for promoting information and enhancing understanding about U.S. and 
world history. This new site puts the expertise of the University of 
Texas world-renowned faculty at the service of the general citizenry, 
and provides a public forum for the discussion of historical and 
contemporary events.
  The title of the website, www.notevenpast.org, ``Not Even Past,'' 
(NEP) derives its name from William Faulkner's famous line that, ``The 
past is never dead. It's not even past.'' It acknowledges the 
professional and ethical commitment to understanding history as a 
public conversation about the importance of the past for our actions, 
values, and beliefs in the present, and for the decisions we make today 
that will affect our lives tomorrow.
  I would like to congratulate particularly the efforts of Professor 
Joan Neuberger, Chairman Alan Tully, the department's 60-person 
faculty, and the input of graduate students for establishing this 
project in 2010.
  NEP brings together a diverse group of historians in every major 
historical field by using modern technology as a vehicle to share their 
perspectives on topics related to Texas, the United States, and world 
history. The website allows people from around the world with an 
interest in history and historical events to take advantage of the 
University of Texas' new resource. This unique and innovative website 
offers book and film recommendations, movie clips, podcasts, links to 
historical documents and artifacts, as well as a fact-checker series 
and free virtual courses.
  The development of NEP reinforces the reputation of the University of 
Texas Department of History. I believe this website is an invaluable 
resource of remarkable range and interest, and will advance the 
university's goal of undertaking programs of civil, educational and 
social services.
  Since NEP was launched in January 2011, the website has enabled 
hosting and sponsoring events devoted to the history curriculum, 
organization of a book club with award-winning professors and students 
of history, accumulation of an extensive library of podcasts, short 
articles and recommended movies related to all aspects of history, and 
even virtual history courses that are offered through the University of 
Texas. In June 2012, NEP will also begin posting university, high 
school, and middle school students' history projects.
  Congratulations to the University of Texas Department of History for 
creating this interactive website.

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