[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Pages 5533-5534]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            MORNING BUSINESS

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                             CONGRESS WEEK

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I wish to recognize that, 228 years ago 
this week, Congress achieved its first quorum. The House of 
Representatives attained its quorum on April 1, 1789,

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and the Senate reached that goal on April 6, 1789. The Association of 
Centers for the Study of Congress celebrates this anniversary by 
observing Congress Week, an annual weeklong event that highlights the 
resources available for the study of Congress and features 
commemorative events at member institutions across the country.
  The Association of Centers for the Study of Congress is composed of 
more than 40 universities and historical societies, including the 
McConnell Center at the University of Louisville, that work to preserve 
the historical collections of Members of Congress and encourage their 
use for educational purposes. The organization's goal is to promote 
public understanding of the legislative process by focusing on the 
history of the Senate and the House representatives and Congress's role 
in our constitutional system of government.
  Congress Week is designed to spark a closer examination of the first 
branch of government, to encourage schools to develop programs to 
highlight the work of Congress, and to stimulate more scholarly 
research into Congress and its history.
  Emphasizing the historical importance of Members' records, H. Con. 
Res. 307 was passed unanimously in 2008. This resolution recommends 
that Members' records be properly maintained, that each Member take all 
necessary measures to manage and preserve them, that they arrange for 
the deposit or donation of their records with a research institution 
that is properly equipped to care for them, and that they make them 
available for educational purposes at an appropriate time. Members of 
Congress are responsible for preserving their own records of public 
service.
  Members' collections are essential for public understanding of the 
vital role that Congress plays in our democracy. As primary source 
materials, they contain the most authentic record of cause and effect 
of what happened and why. Their study leads to greater understanding of 
the issues we have faced and how they were resolved.
  As Senate majority leader, I encourage my colleagues to follow the 
advice of H. Con. Res. 307, to preserve the records of your service, 
both paper and digital, so that the full history of the Senate may be 
appreciated and understood. Last year, when we observed Congress Week 
2016, our President pro tempore, Senator Hatch, stated ``Serving as a 
member of the world's greatest deliberative body is no small honor; it 
is a tremendous privilege that none of us should take for granted. The 
American people have placed their confidence in our ability to effect 
meaningful change for the good of the country. May we honor this sacred 
trust by keeping detailed archives of the work we do here.''
  I join my esteemed colleague in that sentiment and also ask my 
colleagues to preserve their archival legacy.

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