The House passed a bill on Monday that would require the National Archives to create an online database of records useful to African-American genealogists. The measure now goes to the Senate.
Something tells me the President will be signing this into law sometime next month.The Preservation of Records of Servitude, Emancipation and Post-Civil War Reconstruction Act (H.R. 390) requires the National Archives to establish an electronic database for the public to keep records from the Southern Claims Commission, the Freedman’s Bank, slave payrolls and slave manifests. [Link]
The sole dissenting vote was cast by Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), but you really can't blame him: He votes against everything. He's a libertarian, a possible presidential hopeful, and a former OB/GYN who has earned the nickname "Dr. No" for voting against such wasteful measures as awarding Congressional Gold Medals of Honor to Pope John Paul II, Rosa Parks, and Mother Teresa.
So our wonderfully inconsistent and irresponsible Congress has passed a bill mandating additional expenditures by the National Archives at the same time they have slashed the Archives budget and forced the Archives to drastically reduce hours of service to the public.
Seems to me that Mr. Paul was right to vote against this unfunded mandate. If his hypocritical brethren were really serious, they would have appropriated money to pay for this initiative.
Will it be unfunded? The bill as passed authorizes appropriations of $5 million for the national database, and another $5 million to establish similar state and local databases.
An authorization is NOT an appropriation!
For decades, Congress has authorized $10 million a year for the National Historical Publications Commission, but has NEVER appropriated that much.
Unfortunately, most people are ignorant enough of how the system works to let Congress get away with such meaningless grandstanding.
How wonderful that we have you to educate us! I join you in hoping that the appropriations committees will follow through and fully fund this worthy undertaking.