[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4738 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4738
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 30, 2022
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and
Administration
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To direct the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress to
establish a history project to collect video and audio recordings of
personal histories and testimonials, written materials, and photographs
of those who were affected by COVID-19, and for other purposes.
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 ``COVID-19 American History Project
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds as follows:
(1) COVID-19 is a highly infectious respiratory illness
caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2. This disease has caused a
worldwide pandemic affecting millions of people and has
fundamentally altered the operations of the world's cities,
businesses, and schools.
(2) The outbreak of COVID-19 was first detected in Wuhan,
China, and on January 21, 2020, the first confirmed case of
COVID-19 was diagnosed in the United States.
(3) The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a
global pandemic on March 11, 2020, and the President of the
United States issued a national emergency declaration
concerning the pandemic on March 13, 2020.
(4) To date, 194 million individuals have tested positive
for COVID-19. Of those, 35 million are Americans; that is, more
than one of every 10 Americans. Almost 4.2 million people have
died from COVID-19 globally, and over 610,000 deaths have
occurred in the United States.
(5) The first American received the COVID-19 vaccine on
December 14, 2020. Since then, 163 million Americans have been
vaccinated and 188.5 million have received at least one dose.
The vaccine became available to every American adult 18 and
older on April 19, 2021.
(6) While there are still remaining cases, and healthcare
professionals and researchers are tirelessly working to
eradicate the disease, it is important we begin work to fully
capture the firsthand personal stories of those impacted by
COVID-19, a major national event in the history of this
country.
(7) Oral histories are of immeasurable value to historians,
researchers, authors, journalists, film makers, scholars,
students, and citizens of all walks of life. Survivors of the
pandemic, survivors of loved ones who lost their lives to
COVID-19, and frontline healthcare workers should be remembered
and can provide valuable firsthand knowledge on how this
pandemic impacted their everyday lives.
(8) It is in the Nation's best interest to collect and
catalog oral histories of Americans who were affected by the
pandemic so that future generations will have original sources
of information regarding the lives and times of those who lived
through or died from the COVID-19 pandemic and conditions under
which they endured. These accounts will allow an opportunity
for Americans to remember those who lost their lives and may
learn firsthand of the heroics, loneliness, horrors, and
triumphs of the healthcare workers who combated this pandemic.
(9) The Library of Congress, as the Nation's oldest Federal
cultural institution and largest and most inclusive library in
human history, is an appropriate repository to collect,
preserve, and make available to the public an archive of these
oral histories. The Library's American Folklife Center has
expertise in the management of documentation projects and
experience in the development of cultural and educational
projects for the public.
(b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act to create a new
federally sponsored, authorized, and funded project that will
coordinate at a national level the collection of video and audio
recordings of personal histories and testimonials, written materials,
and photographs of Americans who contracted COVID-19, individuals who
lost family members and friends to COVID-19, and healthcare workers who
fought to treat the illness. These stories will inform, assist, and
encourage local efforts to preserve the stories of this pandemic and
the ones who lost their battle to the pandemic.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROJECT AT AMERICAN FOLKLIFE CENTER TO COLLECT
VIDEO AND AUDIO RECORDINGS, WRITTEN MATERIALS, AND
PHOTOGRAPHS OF INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED BY COVID-19.
(a) In General.--The Director of the American Folklife Center at
the Library of Congress shall establish a history project to be known
as the ``COVID-19 American History Project'' (hereafter referred to as
the ``Project'') to--
(1) collect video and audio recordings of personal
histories and testimonials of individuals who contracted COVID-
19, individuals who lost family members to COVID-19, and
frontline healthcare workers who fought to treat the illness;
(2) create a collection of the recordings obtained
(including a catalog and index) which will be available for
public use through the National Digital Library of the Library
of Congress and such other methods as the Director considers
appropriate, to the extent feasible and subject to available
resources; and
(3) solicit, reproduce, and collect written materials (such
as letters and diaries) and photographs relevant to the
personal histories of individuals who contracted COVID-19,
individuals who lost family members and friends to COVID-19,
and frontline healthcare workers who fought to treat the
illness, and catalog such materials in a manner the Director
considers appropriate, consistent with and complimentary to the
efforts described in paragraphs (1) and (2).
(b) Use of and Consultation With Other Entities.--The Director may
carry out the activities described in paragraphs (1) and (3) of
subsection (a) through agreements and partnerships entered into with
other government and private entities, and may otherwise consult with
interested persons (within the limits of available resources) and
develop appropriate guidelines and arrangements for soliciting,
acquiring, and making available recordings, written materials, and
photographs under the Project. The recordings, written materials, and
photographs shall be available on the Library of Congress website and
may be used to educate the public on the impacts COVID-19 has on
everyday Americans.
(c) Timing.--As soon as practicable after the enactment of this
Act, the Director shall begin collecting video and audio recordings
under subsection (a)(1).
SEC. 4. PRIVATE SUPPORT.
(a) Acceptance of Donations.--The Librarian of Congress may solicit
and accept donations of funds and in-kind contributions to carry out
the Project, subject to subsection (c).
(b) Establishment of Separate Gift Account.--There is established
in the Treasury (among the accounts of the Library of Congress) a gift
account for the Project.
(c) Dedication of Funds.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law--
(1) any funds donated to the Librarian of Congress to carry
out the Project shall be deposited entirely into the gift
account established under subsection (b);
(2) the funds contained in such account shall be available
only to the extent and in the amounts provided in advance in
appropriations Acts;
(3) the funds contained in such account shall be used
solely to carry out the Project; and
(4) the Librarian of Congress may not deposit into such
account any funds donated to the Librarian which are not
donated for the exclusive purpose of carrying out the Project.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act--
(1) $250,000 for fiscal year 2023; and
(2) such sums as may be necessary for each succeeding
fiscal year, except that no funds are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this Act for any fiscal year which
begins after the expiration of the 3-year period beginning on
the date of the termination of the declaration of the public
health emergency declared by the Secretary of Health and Human
Services pursuant to section 319 of the Public Health Service
Act on January 31, 2020, entitled ``Determination that a Public
Health Emergency Exists Nationwide as the Result of the 2019
Novel Coronavirus''.
SEC. 6. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying
with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by
reference to the latest statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO
Legislation'' for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional
Record by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that
such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
Passed the House of Representatives March 29, 2022.
Attest:
CHERYL L. JOHNSON,
Clerk.