I
103D CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4248
To provide for the protection of books and materials from the Library of
Congress, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 19, 1994
Mr. FIELDS of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on House Administration
A BILL
To provide for the protection of books and materials from
the Library of Congress, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Library of Congress
Book Protection Act of 1994’’.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act—
(1) the term ‘‘book’’ means any book, docu-
ment, or other material that is in the collection of
the Library of Congress;
(2) the term ‘‘borrower’’ means any individual
who has loan privileges for books from the Library
of Congress;
(3) the term ‘‘Fund’’ means the Late Book
Fine Fund established under section 4;
(4) the term ‘‘Librarian’’ means the Librarian
of Congress; and
(5) the term ‘‘Library’’ means the Library of
Congress.
SEC. 3. LATE FINES ON BOOKS.
No later than 30 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Librarian shall promulgate regulations—
(1) to establish a schedule of late fines for any
borrower who has a book on loan for more than 70
days;
(2) to assess a late fine on any borrower who
has a book on loan for more than 70 days;
(3) in the case of a borrower who has not re-
turned a book after such 70-day period, to suspend
the loan privileges of—
(A) such borrower; and
(B) all borrowers of the same office loan
account of such borrower;
(4) to reinstate the loan privileges of any bor-
rower after the return of the book and the payment
of all late fines;
(5) to provide for waivers, at the discretion of
the Librarian, with regard to—
(A) all or any part of an assessed late fine;
and
(B) the suspension of all or any part of the
loan privileges of any borrower (including bor-
rowers of the same office loan account as a bor-
rower who has not returned a book within such
70-day period).
SEC. 4. LATE BOOK FINE FUND.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Librarian shall establish
a Late Book Fine Fund.
(b) DEPOSIT.—All late fines paid to the Librarian
under this Act shall be deposited in the Fund.
(c) USES OF THE FUND.—All monies deposited in the
Fund shall remain in the Fund and shall be available to
the Librarian without fiscal year limitation for the general
operating expenses of the Library and the replacement of
lost or stolen books.
SEC. 5. PROHIBITION OF FEDERAL FUNDS TO PAY LATE
FINES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—No Federal funds may be used
to pay a late fine assessed under this Act.
(b) ENFORCEMENT.—Violation of the provisions of
subsection (a) shall be a misdemeanor and any person con-
victed thereof shall be fined not more than $1,000.
SEC. 6. REPORTS.
The Librarian shall include in the annual report sub-
mitted to the Congress under the heading ‘‘LIBRARY OF
CONGRESS’’ of the Act of February 19, 1897 (2 U.S.C.
139; 29 Stat. 546)—
(1) the estimated number of books that are
missing from the Library due to borrowers who have
had loan privileges suspended;
(2) the name of any office with an office loan
account that includes any borrower who—
(A) has had loan privileges suspended; and
(B) has been assessed late fines that have
not been paid for more than 1 month;
(3) the total amount of unpaid late fines as-
sessed to each office named under paragraph (2);
(4) all monies deposited in the Fund; and
(5) the amounts and uses of expenditures from
the Fund.
SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE AND APPLICATION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—This Act shall take effect on the
date of enactment of this Act and shall apply to all books
of the Library of Congress, including books that are on
loan on such date.
(b) ASSESSMENT OF FINES.—No late fine may be as-
sessed under this Act during the 100-day period beginning
on the date of the enactment of this Act.
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