I 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7054 

To direct the Librarian of Congress to establish a program in the American 

Folklife Center to collect video and audio recordings of personal histories 

and testimonials of those affected by the COVID–19 pandemic, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 11, 2022 

Mr. BERA (for himself and Mr. MCGOVERN) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on House Administration 

A BILL 

To direct the Librarian of Congress to establish a program 

in the American Folklife Center to collect video and 

audio recordings of personal histories and testimonials 

of those affected by the COVID–19 pandemic, and for 

other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘COVID–19 Oral His5 tory Project Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM AT AMERICAN 

2 FOLKLIFE CENTER TO COLLECT VIDEO AND 

3 AUDIO RECORDING OF HISTORIES OF THE 

4 COVID–19 PANDEMIC. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Librarian of Congress shall 

6 establish an oral history program in the American Folklife 

7 Center at the Library of Congress to collect and make 

8 publicly available in a digital format individual stories of 

9 events and experiences during the COVID–19 pandemic 

10 in the United States. In carrying out the program, the 

11 Librarian shall— 

12 (1) collect video and audio recordings of per13 sonal histories and testimonials of those who were 

14 affected by the COVID–19 pandemic, such as first 

15 responders and health care workers, individuals who 

16 survived the disease, family members of those who 

17 passed away from the disease, individuals who were 

18 repatriated from other countries or from cruise 

19 ships, individuals with major life events affected by 

20 responding to the outbreak, as well as any other in21 dividuals whose lives were altered; 

22 (2) create a collection of the recordings ob23 tained (including a catalog and index) which will be 

24 available for public use through the digital collec25 tions of the Library of Congress and such other 


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1 methods as the Librarian considers appropriate to 

2 the extent feasible subject to available resources; and 

3 (3) solicit, collect, and make available in a dig4 ital format written materials (such as letters and 

5 diaries) relevant to the personal histories of health 

6 care workers and first responders who served during 

7 the COVID–19 pandemic and to catalog such mate8 rials in a manner the Librarian considers appro9 priate, consistent with and complimentary to the ef10 forts described in paragraphs (1) and (2). 

11 (b) USE OF AND CONSULTATION WITH OTHER ENTI12 TIES.—The Librarian may carry out the activities de13 scribed in paragraphs (1) and (3) of subsection (a) 

14 through agreements and partnerships entered into with 

15 other government and private entities, including through 

16 collaboration with existing archival and oral history pro17 grams throughout the United States, and may otherwise 

18 consult with interested persons (within the limits of avail19 able resources) and develop appropriate guidelines and ar20 rangements for soliciting, acquiring, and making available 

21 recordings under the program under this Act. 

22 (c) TIMING.— 

23 (1) INITIATION.—As soon as practicable after 

24 the enactment of this Act, the Librarian shall begin 


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1 collecting video and audio recordings under sub2 section (a)(1). 

3 (2) SUNSET.—The authority of the Librarian to 

4 collect video and audio recordings under subsection 

5 (a)(1) shall terminate upon the expiration of the 5- 

6 year period which begins on the date of the enact7 ment of this Act. 

8 SEC. 3. PRIVATE SUPPORT. 

9 (a) ACCEPTANCE OF DONATIONS.—The Librarian of 

10 Congress may solicit and accept donations of funds and 

11 in-kind contributions to carry out the oral history program 

12 under section 2. 

13 (b) ESTABLISHMENT OF SEPARATE GIFT AC14 COUNT.—There is established in the Treasury (among the 

15 accounts of the Library of Congress) a gift account for 

16 the oral history program under section 2. 

17 (c) DEDICATION OF FUNDS.—Notwithstanding any 

18 other provision of law— 

19 (1) any funds donated to the Librarian of Con20 gress to carry out the oral history program under 

21 section 2 shall be deposited entirely into the gift ac22 count established under subsection (b); 

23 (2) the funds contained in such account shall be 

24 used solely to carry out the oral history program 

25 under section 2; and 


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1 (3) the Librarian may not deposit into such ac2 count any funds donated to the Librarian which are 

3 not donated for the exclusive purpose of carrying out 

4 the program under section 2. 

5 SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

6 (a) AUTHORIZATION.—There are authorized to be ap7 propriated to carry out this Act— 

8 (1) $4,100,000 for fiscal year 2022; and 

9 (2) such sums as may be necessary for each 

10 succeeding fiscal year. 

11 (b) CONTINUING AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Any 

12 amount appropriated pursuant to the authorization under 

13 this section shall remain available until expended. 

Æ 


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